Backgrounder: Dialogue meetings between G8 and developing countries

The Group of Eight (G8) summit meeting opened in L'Aquila, Italy, on Wednesday to discuss issues such as the global economy and climate change. The following is a brief history of the dialogue meetings held by the G8 industrialized nations with partners from the developing world.

The first dialogue meeting between leaders of the G8 and developing nations was held in June 2003 in the wake of the increasing North-South divide.

At the invitation of France, host of the 29th G8 summit, leaders from China, Brazil, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco and Saudi Arabia, as well as five NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa's Development) countries -- Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria, Algeria and South Africa -- attended the informal South-North dialogue meeting ahead of the G8 summit.

During the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, in July 2005, the G8 leaders held two meetings respectively with five major developing countries -- Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, and seven African countries -- Algeria, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania -- to discuss the global economy, climate change and other major international issues, forming the relatively stable "eight plus five" and "eight plus seven" mode.

In Russia's St. Petersburg in July 2006, the G8 leaders met with leaders of six developing countries -- Brazil, China, India, Mexico, the Republic of Congo and South Africa -- to discuss issues of common concern such as energy security, infectious disease control, education and Africa's development.

During the G8 summit in Germany's Heiligendamm in June 2007, the "seven plus five" meeting was held for the second time. In addition, the Heiligendamm Process, an initiative proposed by Germany to launch new dialogues between the G8 and the five developing countries, was passed. According to the Process, the dialogues will be held within a period of two years and cover four areas including intellectual property, investment freedom, climate change and development aid for Africa.

During the G8 summit in Japan's Hokkaido in July 2008, the G8 leaders held the "eight plus five" and "eight plus seven" dialogues. Meanwhile, a total of 16 countries held the first-ever Major Economies Meeting on Energy Security and Climate Change. The newly participating countries were Australia, Indonesia and South Korea.