Visiting the G7 Agriculture in Ortigia yesterday, German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir congratulated the Italian presidency of the G7 summit on a key topic during the summit. "They couldn't have chosen the topic better, which is that Africa is our neighboring continent, so it's important for us," Özdemir commented. "It's important for the people in Africa and I really like that the focus is on small farmers, women, young people, because that's exactly what we need to talk about."

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the Africa Forum, the German minister said: "I think it is crucial for us in Europe, also for the member states, to develop our own strategy for Africa, which is not yet in the pipeline. We need to talk to our colleagues in Africa, listen to the people in Africa, and then develop strategies together."

Regarding food sovereignty, Özdemir believes that "it is extremely crucial that the world we will live in, that our children will grow up in, is defined by us, by liberal democracies, and we do not wait for other forces, such as Russia, to remind us what kind of world we are growing up in. That is why," the minister concluded, "the G7 is so important and that is why it is also important that we invite friends from other countries, talk to them, listen to them and develop our joint strategies."