Italy’s prime minister Giorgia Meloni outlined a clear path for the 2024 G7 summit, confirming that Italy would assume the presidency and host the leaders in June, with the venue in the southern region of Puglia. The plan emerged from ongoing talks with partner nations and key allies about the agenda and timing for the next year’s gathering. Meloni stated that a mid-June date had been chosen for the summit, aligning with the political calendar shaped by the European elections, which were anticipated to take place on June 9-10, followed soon after by the G7 meetings. The focus in Rome was to use Puglia as a backdrop to highlight a global South emphasis, signaling a strategic shift toward inclusive development and cooperation across the southern hemisphere. [CITATION: Italian government communications]
Within this framework, the Italian government expressed confidence in coordinating a high-level international event capable of addressing pressing global issues while showcasing Italy’s regional strengths. The approach emphasized practical and timely collaboration among the world’s leading economies, aiming to press forward shared goals amid rapid geopolitical and economic changes. The choice of Puglia as the summit site underscored Italy’s intent to elevate regional voices and perspectives in international diplomacy, signaling potential for concrete environmental, economic, and social initiatives. [CITATION: Italy’s foreign ministry statements]
Earlier comments from Meloni suggested a willingness to adjust the schedule if extraordinary circumstances required flexibility, underscoring the need for resilience in guiding a large, multifaceted alliance. The prime minister also noted that leaders would meet in a broader format with the inclusion of partner figures, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who would participate after his appearance in Hiroshima. Zelensky’s involvement was presented as part of a broader effort to discuss ongoing regional security and humanitarian concerns within the G7 framework. [CITATION: G7 planning briefings]
On the domestic front, Italy confronted severe weather events that prompted urgent actions from national authorities. Reports described heavy rainfall in the Emilia-Romagna region that led to widespread flooding and a cascade of related events, with 23 rivers overflowing and as many as 280 landslides recorded. The floodwaters affected 41 cities, described by observers as the strongest such event in a century. Rapid rescue and relief operations followed, with regional leaders coordinating with national agencies to support affected communities and to prepare for ongoing recovery efforts. The scale of the emergency underscored the importance of climate resilience and proactive planning for future extremes in the European context, a topic likely to surface in discussions among G7 participants as they consider global responses to climate risk and disaster preparedness. It was noted that these conditions influenced broader conversations about economic stability, infrastructure resilience, and cross-border cooperation during the anticipated G7 gathering in Puglia and the surrounding Italian regions. [CITATION: Italian civil protection agency briefings]