Alternative History
Group of Nine
Map of G9 (President Dukakis)
Flag of Brazil Brazil:
Flag of Canada Canada:
  • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Flag of France France:
Flag of Germany Germany:
Flag of Italy Italy:
  • Prime Minister Carlo Calenda
Flag of Japan Japan:
  • Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Flag of South Korea South Korea
  • President Yoon Suk Yeol
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom:
Flag of the United States United States:
Flag of Europe Europe Union:
  • Council President Charles Michel
Flag of Europe Europe Union:
  • Commission President Mario Draghi

The Group of Nine (G9) is the group of the most industrialized countries in the world, comprising: Germany, Brazil, South Korea, Canada, United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, although the European Union is also represented. These countries are the seven most advanced economies in the world, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which represent more than 70% of global net wealth, equivalent to 340 trillion US dollars. Large national net wealth and extremely high human development index (HDI) are some of the main characteristics of the members of this group. They also represent 55% of global gross domestic product (GDP) measured at market exchange rates and 35% of global purchasing power parity (PPP).

Initiated called the G7 until 2017, it was made up only of Germany, Japan, Italy, France, United Kingdom, United States and Canada, described as the main Western powers. In 2016, Brazil made an invitation to join the organization, stating an ''approach to the Western community'', the request was accepted along with South Korea's and thus the name changed to G9.

History[]

It was French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing who, in 1975, took the initiative to bring together the heads of state or government of Germany, the United States, Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom, in Rambouillet, in the Paris region. It was initially a G6. The idea was for these leaders to meet without the accompaniment of an army of advisers, to discuss world issues (dominated at the time by the oil crisis) with complete frankness and without protocol, in a relaxed atmosphere.

After the success of the Rambouillet summit meeting, these meetings became annual and Canada was admitted as the seventh member of the group at the summit in Puerto Rico in 1976.

The group's work has evolved a lot over the years, taking into account new needs and political events. This forum, which originally revolved essentially around the adjustment of short-term economic policies among the participating countries, adopted a more general and more structural perspective, adding to its agenda a large number of political and social issues, particularly in the area of sustainable development and health on a global scale. The informal character of the group allowed it to evolve while still being efficient and suited to needs.

Progress of different summits since 2000[]

Since the end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the G7 has strengthened and evolved considerably. At the Osako summit in 2000, summit members decided to plan a ''group expansion'', adding some eastern European countries such as Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic. However, the plan was denied by Al Gore's United States, claiming that ''these countries were not classified yet to be Western''.

At the Napoli summit in 2005, for the first time countries considered ''non-Western'' were invited, namely: Senegal, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Nigeria and India were present at the summit. The American president stated that ''this was the beginning of a new G7, a G7 that is more open to other countries''.

In August 2020, Brazil led by President Aécio Neves asked for an invitation to join the group. Neves stated that Brazil was willing to help and cooperate as much as possible with Western powers and that ''Brazil, like much of Latin America, is part of the West''. Two days later, South Korea made the same request, claiming to be the "main Asian partner of the West".

Country leaders and EU representatives (as of 2023)[]