Who we are

Who we are

The g7+ is an intergovernmental organization made up of conflict-affected countries united by a vision of peace, stability, and development in their countries and everywhere in the world. The g7+ provides a platform to conflict-affected countries to collectively voice the need for national dialogue and reconciliation to address conflicts; advocate for effective development cooperation founded on the principles of country ownership, transparency and mutual accountability between government and development partners; and facilitate sharing of first-hand experience and good development practices with one another.

The g7+ member states are Afghanistan, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Papua New Guinea, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Timor-Leste, Togo, and Yemen

 

The g7+ group was established at the first International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and State building on 10 April 2010 in Dili, Timor-Leste. The initiative was developed out of a concern that traditional development cooperation did not improve the situation of fragile countries and the g7+ sought to address this situation and change the relationship from countries being recipients of peacebuilding processes, to instead being an equal partnership between government and development partners, based on dialogue and collaboration.   

Chair of the g7+
H.E. Dr. Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai

H.E. Dr. Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai is the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone with many years of service at both the national and international levels As Minister of planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, He assumes the Chair of the g7+ Group of Fragile and Conflict Affected states and Co Chair of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding.
Dr. Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai, was Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative (PR) to the United Nations in New York. Prior to his appointment as the PR of Sierra Leone to the UN, Dr. Kai-Kai spent 12 years as a senior United Nations staff member. From January 2016 to March 2018, he was Chief of Civil Affairs/Peace Consolidation Services in the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), supporting that country’s integrity in natural resources management and economic governance, decentralization of services, local governance and peacebuilding. He was Field Crisis Adviser/Field Operation Manager in the United Nations Mission for Emergency Ebola Response (UNMEER) from December 2014 to June 2015. From March 2008 to July 2014, he was Chief of Civil Affairs in UNMIL, having served as Chief of the United Nations Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section of UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) from 2005 to 2007 .
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Dr. Kai-Kai holds a B.A. (Hons) degree from the University of Sierra Leone, and Master of Science and doctorate degrees in agricultural economics and development from universities in the United Kingdom and Germany, respectively. Dr. Kai-Kai is a recipient of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Rokel (GCOR) Award for Service to Sierra Leone.
Mr. Abdul Habib Zadran has a decade of rich experience working with corporate and the Public sectors. He has a master’s degree in Finance and has been serving in several high ranked positions for the Government of Afghanistan, international donor agencies, and the private sector.
Deputy Chair of g7+

Mr. Abdul Habib Zadran

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The charter of g7+ was agreed upon by members during the 3rd g7+ Ministerial meeting in Lomé, Togo in May 2014. In effect, the charter has become a legally binding agreement among the 20 Member States that confirmed the g7+ as an international, inter-governmental organization. Pursuant to the article 102, paragraph 1 of the Charter of the United Nations, the g7+ charter has been successfully certified by the United Nations Treaty Department on 12 January 2022.  The Charter of g7+ set out the purpose of the organization, its leadership, function of the g7+ Secretariat and role of the focal points from each Member States.

 

The group is currently chaired by Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, H.E. Francis Mustapha Kai-Kai. The g7+ has Headquarters in Dili, Timor-Leste and a Hub in Lisbon, Portugal. The role of the Secretariat includes providing coordination among member countries and assisting in implementing the priorities agreed upon by members. It also provides advice to the Chair and Member States.

The g7+ is governed by the Ministerial Forum, the group’s decision-making body. The Ministerial Forum selects a Minister of a member country (or a person with relevant qualifications equivalent to those of a Minister) to serve as Chair of the Ministerial Forum for a two-year term and may stand for re-election. The Chair of the Ministerial Forum shall rotate among the Member States. The Ministerial Forum shall also select a Deputy Chair. Each member state is represented in the Ministerial Forum meetings by either their Minister of Finance and Planning or Minister of Foreign Affairs. The g7+ has established an Advisory Council comprising eminent persons and special envoys who advise and give counsel to the Ministerial Forum to assist in achieving the work of the g7+ in line with the principles of Volunteerism, Solidarity and Cooperation. 

 

The g7+ is actively engaged with the United Nations, International Development Organizations, bilateral donors, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, Multilateral Financial Institutions, international think tanks, Private Sector, civil society, and people across the region to reform their policies so that they can create better results and help in achieving lasting peace and stability in fragile countries.

 

In an historical milestone, the UN General Assembly granted the g7+ Observer Status in 2019. This allows the group to provide collective input into the work and the agenda of the United Nations, especially with regards to peace and security and improving peacekeeping operations.