Multilateralism May 2025-

2025 G7 Kananaskis Summit
G7 2026 Evian, France

19-20 July
Iran war, Myanmar crisis and South China Sea rifts under the spotlight in ASEAN ministerial talks
(AP) — Southeast Asia’s top diplomats will express alarm over renewed hostilities in the Middle East when they gather in the Philippine capital Tuesday for talks to be joined by Western and Asian counterparts, including from the United States, China, Russia and the European Union.
Some of the world’s most intractable conflicts, including the latest fighting in Iran, will be high in the agenda of the annual talks held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The Philippines holds the 11-nation regional bloc’s chairmanship this year and is hosting the three-day talks in Manila.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are among the attendees. Ukraine’s top diplomat, Andrii Sybiha, has been invited to attend a Friday ceremony commemorating a 1976 nonaggression treaty of ASEAN but is not a participant in the ASEAN meetings Lavrov and Rubio will attend.
Southeast Asia…relies heavily on Middle East oil and gas and was severely hit by the global supply and price shocks sparked by the Iran war. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a national energy emergency in March to ensure the availability of fuel, food and other basic goods and prevent hoarding and profiteering.
Washington’s preoccupation with the war in Iran and the diversion of its military firepower to the Middle East has sparked concerns over its focus on Asia-Pacific concerns, including China’s aggressive actions in the disputed South China Sea and against Taiwan which the Trump administration has pledged to help deter.

2026 NATO Summit in Ankara
7-8 July 2026

What to Expect at the 2026 NATO Summit
It’s a precarious time for the world’s largest military alliance.
(Foreign Policy) The Future of NATO
It’s a precarious time for the world’s largest military alliance. U.S. President Donald Trump continues to undermine NATO with threats of withdrawal. Several member states are struggling to meet new defense spending requirements. Russia’s war against Ukraine remains a threat to European security. And differences over how to handle the Iran war risk exacerbating tensions among allies.
Welcome to NATO 3.0.
Dozens of foreign leaders will convene in Ankara, Turkey, on Tuesday for this year’s NATO leaders’ summit. According to NATO chief Mark Rutte, the two-day conference will focus on bolstering Europe’s defense responsibilities in an effort to keep Washington engaged in the alliance. This summit will be the beginning of a trans-Atlantic “defense industrial revolution,” Rutte said at the Atlantic Council last month.
Among European members, opinions of NATO remain high. A Pew Research Center survey released on Monday found that more than 70 percent of people in Poland, Sweden, Germany, and Hungary view the alliance favorably. Yet approval rates in several countries have declined—most notably in France, Italy, and the United States.
Although uneven defense spending has long frustrated Trump, NATO’s response to the Iran war (or lack thereof) has recently threatened to unravel the bloc. Trump has blasted NATO members for failing to adequately help U.S. forces during the conflict, despite the alliance maintaining that doing so would have gone beyond NATO’s purview. This week, foreign leaders are expected to discuss international efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

7-8 July
The Ankara Summit Declaration
Foreign Policy staff
…  3. We are building the future: a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO — a modernised Alliance. European Allies and Canada, working with the United States, are assuming greater responsibility for the Alliance’s defence. NATO’s deterrence and defence rest on an appropriate mix of nuclear, conventional, and missile defence capabilities, complemented by space and cyber assets. We are committed to maintaining our combat advantage. We are investing in our ability to deploy, enable and sustain our armed forces and deliver our capability targets in all domains, including in deep precision strike, integrated air and missile defence, uncrewed systems, cutting edge technologies, and intelligence capabilities. We are developing an interoperable transatlantic warfighting cloud and adopting powerful AI models.
4. Ukraine contributes to transatlantic security, and Allies stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. European Allies and Canada now finance the vast majority of security assistance to Ukraine through bilateral and multilateral means. Allies underscore that this support must be equitable, predictable, and sustainable in the long-term. For 2026, Allies pledge €70 billion in military equipment, assistance and training for Ukraine and affirm their sovereign commitments to sustaining at least equivalent levels in 2027. To this end, we welcome the European Union’s decision to provide multi-year funding to Ukraine through the Ukraine Support Loan.

Drama and Spectacle as Trump Makes His NATO Entrance
The second President Trump landed in Turkey, the center of gravity shifted right to where he likes it best: himself.
(NYT) … After Mr. Trump arrived, he sat beside Mr. Erdogan at a bilateral meeting in the Turkish presidential complex and promptly stirred up some fresh drama. He criticized Denmark and reminded NATO leaders that he still had designs on Greenland; complained that Britain, France and Italy did not do enough to support the United States in its war against Iran; said Europe was a lot better 20 years ago; and mused on Ms. Meloni, characterizing his quarrel that has caused so much international agita as something verging on playful….
NATO launches defence projects to counter Russia and China
New measures focus on critical minerals, drone capabilities and missile shields as members boost the alliance’s industrial base
(SCMP) NATO member states unveiled a series of defence initiatives on Tuesday aimed at strengthening weapons development, production and supply chains in response to security challenges posed by Russia and China.
Speaking at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum (NSDIF) on the first day of this year’s summit in Ankara, Turkey, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte announced several new projects involving member states and defence contractors to bolster the alliance’s advanced military capabilities.
Among them was a multinational initiative on defence-critical raw materials involving 12 NATO member states: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Turkey.
Trump renews call for US to take over Greenland as he arrives for NATO summit
President also threatens to pull all American troops from Europe and rails against NATO stance on Iran war
Donald Trump has revived his bid for the US to acquire Greenland, threatening to pull all American armed forces out of Europe after the continent repeatedly pushed back.
Arriving at the NATO summit in Ankara on Tuesday, the US president also suggested his commitment to defending Europe had been tempered by political decisions by leaders on immigration and energy.

9 April
When Alliances Stall: Hormuz and the Limits of Western Solidarity
The Strait of Hormuz is not just testing maritime security, it is exposing a shift in how Western alliances operate, from reflexive alignment to conditional cooperation.
By: Abbas Qaidari
(Open Canada) For a long time, Western alliances functioned on something close to habit—not blind loyalty, but a kind of strategic reflex in which, if Washington defined a problem as systemic, others would, sooner or later, fall into line. There were disagreements, certainly, and delays, but the underlying direction was rarely in doubt, and what is happening now around the Strait of Hormuz suggests that this reflex is weakening in ways that are difficult to ignore and even harder to reverse.
This is not a theoretical stress test, but something unfolding in real time under the pressure of an active conflict, and even as a ceasefire begins to take hold, its fragility and the continued uncertainty around navigation in the Strait suggest that the underlying strategic questions remain unresolved. Iranian forces have moved beyond signaling and into disruption—targeting commercial vessels, shaping traffic through threat rather than law, and turning one of the world’s most sensitive maritime corridors into a space of conditional access. Shipping has slowed, insurers are recalculating exposure by the hour, and the market response has been immediate, as the strait behaves like the chokepoint strategists have long warned about.
Washington’s response followed a familiar logic: restore navigation, assemble partners, and demonstrate that coercion of the commons carries consequences. What is less familiar is what came next, as allies did not rally in any consistent way—some offered support in principle, others in language, and very few in ships—so that no unified posture emerged, and that absence matters more than the explanations that followed it.

2 April
Europe up for policing Hormuz — but only if the fighting stops
Donald Trump’s demands for NATO allies to “take the lead” on Hormuz loom over 41-nation call organized by the U.K.
(Politico Eu) European leaders steered well clear of hard military promises to solve the Strait of Hormuz crisis Thursday — despite Donald Trump ramping up his calls for them to do exactly that. A 41-nation virtual call, chaired by the U.K., saw jabs at Iran for “trying to hold the global economy hostage,” fresh talk of sanctions, and a promise to up diplomatic pressure over continued blockage of the vital trade artery. But the gathering — which included reps from the European Union, France, Germany, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Canada, among others — made plain that the countries Trump is demanding do more in the region want a ceasefire before they will consider going further.
Coalition of countries discuss ‘every possible measure’ to pressure Iran into reopening strait of Hormuz
Yvette Cooper hosts virtual summit of more than 40 countries to consider coordinated action in face of closure of vital shipping lane
After chairing a virtual summit on Thursday, Yvette Cooper said coordinated action was needed as Iran’s “reckless strikes” on international shipping and efforts to “hijack the global economy” were hitting nations from across the globe “who played no part in this conflict”.
She said: “That’s affecting petrol prices and mortgage rates here in the UK, but also jet fuel across the world, fertiliser to Africa, and also gas to Asia. So countries across the world are being impacted, and that’s why we’re so determined to see every possible diplomatic, economic and coordinated measure to get the strait reopened.”
Whitehall sources said there were discussions at the summit about getting more countries from the global south to put economic pressure on Iran to make sure it does not profit from closing the strait. They said the scale of condemnation of Iran’s actions from countries that have previously been unwilling to resort to sanctions was striking.

26 March
G7 allies meet against backdrop of wars in Ukraine and Iran, with unpredictable US
Trump administration frays G7 relationship
US allies seek clarity from Rubio on Iran operations
European officials to emphasise support for Ukraine
(Reuters) – Foreign ministers from the world’s leading Western democracies meet in France this week against the backdrop of wars ​in Iran and Ukraine, economic uncertainty, and mounting unease over an increasingly unpredictable U.S. foreign policy.
The two-day gathering…brings together ministers from the G7 – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the U.S. – alongside the European Union.
A top priority for Washington’s partners will be a debriefing from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will attend the meeting’s ​second day on Friday.
Officials said allies are hoping to get greater clarity on the U.S. and Israeli military operations against Iran and on whether any meaningful ‌diplomatic ⁠channel exists to end the conflict.
Talks will also focus on the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has effectively closed, choking about a fifth of global oil supplies.
Ministers from Brazil, India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia, all key economic heavyweights whose alignment is pivotal on global security, energy, and diplomatic crises, will also attend.
Negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine have stalled, and European officials fear that the ​U.S. – which has led negotiation efforts ​and pursued a rapprochement with ⁠Moscow – could push Kyiv into an unfavourable peace deal ahead of U.S. midterm elections in November.
European officials said they would stress to Rubio that such an outcome would be unacceptable, arguing instead for tougher ​sanctions on Russia and immediate efforts to prepare Ukraine for another winter of war.

16 February
What next for Greenland and Ukraine? Questions after the Munich security conference
Gathering of world leaders in Germany has disbanded for another year, but many of the issues remain unresolved
(The Guardian) The Munich Security Conference has been a news-making forum for decades – a place where world leaders meet other politicians, as well as journalists and civil society groups, to discuss the biggest issues facing the planet.
In recent years, it has been the site of seismic speeches that redefine the shape of global politics. From a public spat between Nato allies over Iraq in 2003, to Vladimir Putin’s 2007 address that signalled the start of a new cold war, to JD Vance’s blistering attack on European nations in 2025, each moment had an impact that echoed long after the weekend came to a close.
As the dust settles on this year’s event, here are some questions emerging from the conference: …

12 February
Munich Security Conference Chair: a ‘wrecking-ball’ is smashing the international order’
The 2026 Munich Security Conference (13 – 15 February) is taking place in extremely difficult times. In many Western societies, political forces have gained influence that “favour destruction over reform,” the report, which is released in advance, states.
More than a thousand participants from around 120 countries have registered for the weekend event. Among them are more than 60 Heads of State and Government. The most senior representatives of the United States of America and China will be U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi. As in previous years, the organisers have stated that Russia was not invited following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Munich Security Report 2026
The world has entered a period of wrecking-ball politics. Sweeping destruction – rather than careful reforms and policy corrections – is the order of the day. The most prominent of those who promise to free their country from the existing order’s constraints and rebuild a stronger, more prosperous nation is the current US administration. As a result, more than 80 years after construction began, the US-led post-1945 international order is now under destruction.
Under Destruction
The Munich Security Report 2026 analyzes the far-reaching consequences of the rise of political forces that favor destruction over reform. Their disruptive agendas build on widespread disenchantment with the performance of democratic institutions and a pervasive loss of trust in meaningful reforms and political course corrections. In all G7 countries surveyed for the Munich Security Index 2026, only a tiny proportion of respondents say that their current government’s policies will make future generations better off. And both domestically and internationally, political structures are now perceived as overly bureaucratized and judicialized, impossible to reform and adapt to better serve the people’s needs. The result is a climate in which those who employ bulldozers, wrecking balls, and chainsaws are cautiously admired if not openly celebrated.

9 January
E.U. and South America to Form Free-Trade Zone With 700 Million People
(NYT) The agreement represents a push for deeper global cooperation, in contrast to the United States’ turning to coercion in its dealings with other countries.
The European Union, overcoming deep dissension among its members, gave the green light to a sweeping trade pact with four South American countries on Friday that would create one of the largest free-trade zones in the world, connecting markets with more than 700 million people.
The agreement offers a stark contrast to the amped-up aggression on display this week from the Trump administration. As Europe worked to extend an era of economic collaboration, the United States, its once-close ally, demonstrated that it preferred coercion over cooperation.
In Brussels, European leaders negotiated and revised rules to win agreement. … To some degree, Mr. Trump’s confrontational approach and embrace of trade wars helped seal a deal between the 27-member European Union and four South American nations in the trade bloc known as Mercosur, which had languished for a quarter-century.
EU states back controversial Mercosur deal with Latin American countries
Agreement after 25 years of negotiations prompts farmers to block roads in Paris, Brussels and Warsaw
(The Guardian) European Union member states have backed the biggest ever free trade agreement with a group of Latin American countries, ending 25 years of negotiations but stoking further tensions with farmers and environmentalists around the bloc.

2025

Spring Meetings 2025 Preamble: geopolitical turmoil further muddies path of BWI reform and multilateral cooperation
A US executive order reviewing membership in global institutions casts doubt over future US policies at the World Bank and IMF
Despite ongoing reviews and reforms, civil society expects little transformative change at the BWIs
With economic and geopolitical uncertainty rising, civil society looks to FfD4 to chart a new path for multilateralism —Bretton Woods Project 17 April 2025

6-7 July
17th BRICS Summit
As the Chair of BRICS, Brazil is focusing on the theme, ‘Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance’.
(AI Overview) The 17th BRICS Summit will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on July 6-7, 2025. Brazil assumed the BRICS presidency on January 1, 2025, with a focus on global governance reform and cooperation among Global South countries. The summit will address key areas like global health, trade, climate change, and AI governance

30 June-3 July
4th International Conference on Financing for Development
Sevilla, Spain
The Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) provides a unique opportunity to reform financing at all levels, including to support reform of the international financial architecture and addressing financing challenges preventing the urgently needed investment push for the SDGs. FFD4 Conference will be held in FIBES Sevilla Exhibition and Conference Centre.
The International Conferences on Financing for Development are the only space where leaders from all governments, along with international and regional organizations, financial and trade institutions, businesses, civil society and the UN System unite at the highest levels, fostering stronger international cooperation.

21 to 23 November,
G7 Interior and Security Ministers’ Meeting
The Honourable Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety, is bringing together G7 counterparts and other guests to discuss global safety and security challenges and strengthen international collaboration.

22-23 November
G20 South Africa 2025

10-22 November
COP30 Belém Climate Change Conference

31 October-1 November
The APEC CEO Summit Korea 2025 will be held in Gyeongju, Korea.
As one of the most prestigious multilateral gatherings, the Summit will bring together global CEOs, distinguished experts,and senior economic leaders under the theme “Bridge, Business, Beyond.”
This year’s Summit will highlight innovative industries and emerging trends, including energy transition, digital innovation, AI,
and healthcare, which are transforming the global economic landscape.
Additionally, lively discussions on ways to bring prosperity to SMEs and future generations await us.
21 October
Bilateral meetings overshadow host South Korea’s APEC agenda
(Brookings) World leaders, including Trump and Xi, will soon convene in South Korea for APEC. As a middle power, South Korea relishes hosting high-profile international summits. However, as with other recent multilateral gatherings, such as the Group of Seven meeting in Canada, bilateral meetings like the upcoming Trump-Xi meeting are overshadowing the main event.
For sure, Trump’s and Xi’s expected attendance is boosting interest in APEC 2025. But other than the actual attendees, most people are unaware of this year’s core theme—“Building a Sustainable Tomorrow”—and its three related priorities: strengthening connectivity, fostering innovation, and sustaining inclusive growth and prosperity. As the host country, South Korea will also lead conversations on two challenges relevant to its own society: the artificial intelligence transition and demographic change.

27-28 October
Is ASEAN back?
(International Intrigue) Four reasons why this week’s ASEAN summit in Malaysia has made a few more headlines than normal:
1.A new member: Timor-Leste finally got a seat at the ASEAN table, and it’s a big deal for all involved
2.A missing member! Myanmar’s leader (Hlaing) was again absent, for the simple reason he wasn’t invited. He and his fellow putschist generals have been barred since they signed then shrugged off ASEAN’s ‘Five Point Consensus’ on ending Myanmar’s civil war (basically calling on them to end the violence and start a political dialogue).
3.A new peace? Donald Trump made an increasingly rare US presidential appearance at ASEAN, mostly to witness the new Thailand-Cambodia peace accord calling for troop withdrawals, prisoner releases, and joint de-mining operations along their contested frontier.
4. A bold summit host!
Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim is not your average leader: he’s been on the scene for decades, knows the key players personally, and has happily thrown Malaysia’s weight around much more since finally taking his country’s top job in 2022.It was Anwar who started pushing ASEAN harder on Myanmar, and it was even Anwar who brokered July’s initial Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire. Why? Any ego aside, he wants an ASEAN that moves past ‘non-interference’ towards a new mantra of accountability.
And so now, having just hosted possibly ASEAN’s largest-ever summit (with Australia’s Albanese, Brazil’s Lula, Canada’s Carney, South Africa’s Ramaphosa and others there), he hands the bloc’s revitalised reins to its 2026 hosts, the Philippines.

28th ASEAN-China Summit Discusses Progress and Future Cooperation
The 28th ASEAN-China Summit convened today in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and was attended by the ASEAN Leaders or their representatives, the Premier of the State Council of China, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn.
The Leaders reviewed the progress of ASEAN-China cooperation and discussed its future direction, with a view to advancing the ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Leaders noted the adoption of the new ASEAN-China Plan of Action 2026-2030. The Leaders also welcomed the signing of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area 3.0 Upgrade and exchanged views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern.

20th East Asia Summit Reviews Cooperation and Future Direction at its 20th Anniversary
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today attended the 20th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Summit was attended by Heads of State/Government and High Representatives of the EAS participating countries. The President of BRICS and the President of G20 [South Africa] also attended the Open Session, as guests of the Chair, and briefed the Meeting on their respective cooperation with the EAS to advance economic resilience and boost sustainable growth.
In the momentous 20th EAS anniversary, the Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the EAS as the premier Leaders-led forum for dialogue and cooperation on strategic, political, and economic issues of mutual interest and concern in the region. The Leaders also adopted the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the Twentieth Anniversary of the EAS and thematic statements on relevant issues.

15 September
China, climate crisis and Cop31: five takeaways from the Pacific Islands Forum
A key climate crisis funding treaty struck as Pacific leaders backed Australia’s bid for Cop31 despite some criticism of its environmental credentials
(The Guardian) The week-long Pacific Islands Forum (Pif) in the Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, brought together Australia, New Zealand and 16 Pacific countries and territories at a time of fraught geopolitical tensions, and with accusations of outside interference in the region never far from the headlines
1. China’s role in the region remains contentious
Solomon Islands is China’s biggest security ally in the region and prime minister Jeremiah Manele’s decision to block all external partners from attending this year’s summit fuelled speculation that the move was aimed at keeping Taiwan out of the meeting.
2. Australia’s commitment to environment questioned as climate crisis funding green lit
3. … but Canberra confirms support for Cop31 bid
4. Leaders declare Pacific an ‘Ocean of Peace’
Leaders formally adopted the Blue Pacific Ocean of Peace Declaration, an initiative to promote a peaceful and secure region amid rising geopolitical tensions.
5. Australia leaves Vanuatu empty-handed, turns to Fiji

1 July
Denmark is stepping into the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU, inheriting a dense legislative agenda and high political expectations for the second half of 2025.
The Danish EU Presidency will work for a strong and resolute EU that takes responsibility for its own security and for strengthening its competitiveness. This calls for the EU to match words with action and deliver on the challenges it faces. The green transition is essential to building a more secure and competitive Europe.

24-25 June
2025 NATO Summit in The Hague
Key topics on the agenda
At the summit, NATO Leaders will address a variety of issues facing the Alliance. They will focus on deterrence and defence, ensuring that NATO has the resources, forces and capabilities to face any threat.
NATO clinches defense spending deal in big win for Trump
Leaders signed off on a new 5 percent of GDP defense spending target by 2035.
(Politico) NATO allies on Wednesday agreed to unleash an avalanche of new defense spending in a show of unity aimed at keeping U.S. President Donald Trump on board and Russian leader Vladimir Putin at bay.
The trick to getting there? Handing Trump what he called “a great victory.”
In a carefully stage-managed summit built around brevity and predictability, leaders signed off on a new 5 percent of gross domestic product defense spending target by 2035. That will be made up of 3.5 percent of GDP for “hard” capabilities like weapons and troops, and 1.5 percent for defense-adjacent investments such as cyber and mobility.
[Secretary-General Mark] Rutte made a point of flattering Trump, praising him for pressing other countries to boost their defense spending and underscoring his commitment to the alliance.
Rutte even called Trump the “daddy” for intervening in the fighting between Israel and Iran.
NATO Confronts Its Doomsday Scenario
The last thing the world wants to contemplate in the wake of the US-Iran military showdown is a Russian attack on NATO.
(Bloomberg) A Russian assault remains unlikely in the near term. The Kremlin doesn’t want to fight on two fronts, and more than three years into its war on Ukraine it lacks the capacity to take on the bloc. That doesn’t mean it’s beyond Moscow’s vision for the future.
President Vladimir Putin denies he has any such plans, though he said the same before Russia invaded Ukraine. He has made clear he seeks to reclaim what he views as historically Russian territory.
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — NATO frontline members — were once directly administered by the Soviet Union and are home to large Russian minority populations.

How Canada Can Help Shape the NATO of Tomorrow
by Kerry Buck
(Policy) The upcoming NATO Summit in The Hague June 24-25 will be [Prime Minister Mark Carney’s] first. And it will be one of the most consequential and fraught meetings of the Alliance since NATO began in 1949.
… Trump 2.0 is much higher-risk for NATO than Trump’s first term. All is not ‘doom and gloom’: after a series of worrisome messages from the American Vice President and Secretary of Defence that Europe should not rely on the US backstop, the administration has recently signaled it will not abandon NATO.
But there are still high-risk scenarios that could unfold: Trump could once again change his position on NATO. … Or, the summit could see a weakening of American support for Ukraine: there is a risk that Trump might be swayed in this direction by a tactically-timed gesture from Vladimir Putin just before the NATO Summit. There is also a likelihood that President Trump’s pointed support for Putin before his early departure from the Kananaskis G7 will have an impact on the NATO Summit decisions on support for Ukraine. Or, the review of US global troop posture later this year could result in a significant reduction of US presence in Europe at a time when European forces could not lead a sustained defence on land, air or sea. …

23 June
Canada-EU Summit 2025: A Next-Level Strategic Partnership
By Mark Camilleri
On June 23rd, leaders from Canada and the European Union will meet in Brussels. This meeting, wedged between the higher-profile G7 and NATO summits taking place only a week apart, is unlikely to be the routine, stock-taking exercise that has defined many bilateral summits in recent years. In fact, it is shaping up to be the most consequential Canada-EU leaders’ meeting since the 2009 Prague Summit, when negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) were launched.

18-21 June
Angola to Host ATIDI’s 25th Annual General Meeting as Africa’s Multilateral Insurer Marks 25 years of Impact
The African Trade & Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI) is set to hold its 25th Annual General Meeting (AGM) from 18–21 June 2025 in Luanda, Angola, under the theme “Turning Risk into Opportunity, Securing a Sustainable Future.”

26-27 May
46th ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Chairman’s Statement of the 46th ASEAN Summit
(AI Overview) The 46th ASEAN Summit took place…under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”. The summit focused on ASEAN’s centrality and economic integration, with leaders adopting a 20-year roadmap called the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future. Key discussions included strengthening intra-ASEAN trade, exploring new growth areas like the digital and green economies, and expanding ASEAN’s engagement with external partners, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and China.