LONDON — Britain will host foreign and development ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) countries at a meeting in Liverpool from Dec. 10 to 12, the British government said Monday.

Liz Truss, foreign secretary of Britain which holds the rotating G7 presidency in 2021, said: "I will be hosting our friends and partners to discuss how we build closer economic, technology and security ties globally and deliver for the British people."

"The meeting of G7 Foreign and Development Ministers in Liverpool next month is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the city to the world, highlighting the best of British culture, commerce and creativity," she said.

This will be the second in-person gathering of G7 foreign ministers this year, following a meeting in May in London.

A British government spokesperson said: "The UK is hosting the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers at an unprecedented time. It is more important than ever for us to unify the world in the fight against COVID, including the global recovery from the pandemic, and to protect us all against threats such as climate change."

Aside from ministers from G7 members countries -- Britain, the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Canada and Japan -- and the European Union, the event will also include ministers from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, marking the first inclusion of ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries at a G7 foreign ministers' gathering. — Agencies