France 2026
IEA contributions to the G7
IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol addresses a virtual G7 Finance Ministers’ meeting to discuss the conflict in the Middle East
In 2026, France holds the Presidency of the Group of Seven (G7), culminating in the Leaders' Summit in Évian on 15–17 June. As President Emmanuel Macron has outlined, France intends to focus the G7 on its original purpose: serving as a forum for dialogue among major powers to address global economic imbalances, strengthen multilateral cooperation and deliver coordinated, practical responses to the world's most pressing geopolitical, financial and energy security challenges.
The French G7 Presidency has requested support from the IEA across the finance, energy and digital tracks, with a focus on AI and energy, electricity security, critical minerals and the resilience of energy infrastructure.
Energy security is a major focus of the IEA’s contributions, notably in the context of the global energy crisis that has resulted from the conflict in the Middle East that began on 28 February. The IEA has supported G7 policy makers in the monitoring and assessment of the energy implications of the conflict on the global economy.
Finance
On 9 March, at the invitation of Minister Roland Lescure of France, IEA Executive Director Dr Fatih Birol participated in a virtual G7 Finance Ministers’ meeting convened to discuss the global economic situation in the context of the Middle East conflict. Dr Birol provided an update on the IEA’s view of conditions in global oil markets and the challenges of transit through the Strait of Hormuz, which created the largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market.
G7 Finance Ministers’ Communiqué, March 9
Energy
On 10 March, the IEA hosted a meeting of G7 Energy Ministers at our headquarters in Paris, chaired by Minister Lescure. Dr Birol provided an update on the IEA’s view of the situation in global oil and gas markets. Ministers discussed the available options for addressing the supply disruption, including making IEA emergency oil stocks available to the market. The participation of the IEA was recognized in the G7 Energy Ministers’ Communiqué which underscored the close collaboration between the IEA and the G7 on energy security and welcomed the use of proactive measures to address the situation, including the use of strategic reserves.
G7 Energy Ministers’ Communiqué, March 10
On March 11, IEA member countries unanimously agreed to make 400 million barrels of oil from their emergency reserves available to the market to address disruptions in oil markets stemming from the war in the Middle East – the largest-ever release coordinated by the Agency. G7 Leaders later welcomed this announcement as a clear and timely signal to global markets.
Statement by the G7 Presidency
On 30 March, at the invitation of Minister Lescure, Dr Birol participated in a Joint G7 Energy and Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ meeting focused on the global economic outlook and the evolving impacts of the conflict in the Middle East. Dr Birol delivered the opening address, focused on how the impacts of the war could spread and on the IEA’s work to support market stability.
G7 Energy and Finance Ministers’ and Central Bank Governors’ Communiqué