Without urgent action to relieve developing countries of all their external debt payments this year, and ensure they don't accrue into the future, the coronavirus could lead to millions of deaths and force half a billion more people around the world into poverty, said Oxfam today in response to the G7's joint statement on debt moratorium for poor countries.

The G7 should not allow the US to block more ambitious climate action, said Oxfam today, ahead of a meeting of G7 Environment Ministers in Metz, France on 5th and 6th May. 

“The growing split among G7 leaders is bad news for millions of women and men around the world struggling for a better life," said Oxfam International executive director, Winnie Byanyima.

The Group of Seven leaders must agree on concrete steps to combat women’s economic inequality and make the economy work for women, said Oxfam on the eve of the summit in Quebec, Canada.

As G7 foreign ministers meeting in Lucca, Italy, failed to reach agreement on sanctions, Oxfam has called for a renewed push on Syria peace talks. 

47 economists and experts from across Japan, including Iwahito Katsui, renowned economist and professor emeritus at Tokyo University, have come together to urge the Japanese government to take a lead on tackling tax havens at the G7 Leaders Summit.