The purpose is to investigate potential win-win initiatives in global problem areas that are currently characterized as intractable. The process will explore several global negotiations that are deadlocked. Problem areas include energy security, climate change, global public health and nuclear proliferation. The process will include 3 preparatory meetings, followed by a May 2007 “Statesmen” meeting to consider options for a package deal. Recommendations will be widely publicized in the academic community, the serious press, and the foreign ministries of the OECD and the countries involved.
The Centre for Global Studies (CFGS) will manage the planned four-step process which will involve substantive contributions from the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), the Brookings Institution, Tsinghua University, the OECD and the Leaders Project (the Gilman Foundation), and lead to a Statesmen Summit of 14 major countries (G8 plus China, Brazil, India, South Africa, Indonesia and Mexico).
The second meeting, hosted by CIGI, at Langdon Hall, near Toronto, Jan 28-30, 2007 will convene retired G8 “sherpas” and retired senior officials from the other 6 countries who would have been their Leader’s personal representatives (sherpas), had their countries been members of the G8. The agenda will be to refine the options designed at the December Beijing meeting.