Roma__ The heads of state or government of the G-7 countries began their forty-third summit today in the Sicilian town of Taormina, with no visible consensus on key issues, according to Prensa Latina.

The fight against terrorism will be at the center of the deliberations of the meeting chaired by Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, in which German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron are also participating.

Also present are US President Donald Trump and Prime Ministers of Canada, Justine Trudeau; Japan, Shinzo Abe; and United Kingdom, Theresa May; the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, and the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker; and, as guests, the leaders of Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria and Tunisia.

In representation of international organizations are attending the event the secretary general of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, the president of the African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina; and from the World Bank, Jim Yong Kim.

The director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde and Angel Gurría, Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development are present too.

'Laying the foundations for renewed confidence' is the motto chosen by Italy as the group's current president, during a year in which previous ministerial appointments were made in the sectors of Culture, Energy, Foreign Affairs and Finance, while another eight will be developed in next months.

The Italian proposal rests on three fundamental pillars: protection of citizens; economic, environmental and social sustainability, together with the reduction of inequalities and innovation, skills and work in the era of the 'new production revolution.

In these three large areas, the 12 objectives are framed, which, in the opinion of the Italian government, should lay the groundwork for deliberations.

These include, besides terrorism, the management of migration flows and human mobility in general; the stability in sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, together with inclusive growth, energy and climate change, food security and nutrition and health and education, among others.

Although the agenda is extensive, the attention will surely be focused on the four or five aspects that are burning because of their impact and timeliness, some of which remain discrepancies, which makes Gentiloni's task more complex in conducting the conclave.

If the results of the summit were measured by the consensus on the main issues, it runs the risk of going to history without pain or glory for the unresolved discrepancies between the United States and its European allies on issues such as trade, climate change And migration.

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