The first phase of the 15th G20 Summit was held on the 21st by video.
n their speeches, leaders of many countries emphasized that countries around the world should uphold multilateralism and unite and cooperate to deal with global challenges such as the coronavirus pandemic and economic recession.
French President Macron stated that the international community urgently needs to use multilateral cooperation to deal with the huge global challenges brought by coronavirus pandemic. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, without a “comprehensive, coordinated and united strategy”, countries in the world will not be able to effectively respond to the challenges of the pandemic. He said that the biggest inspiration from the coronavirus pandemic is that humans need to meet challenges together more than ever before, strengthen the global medical system and share medical resources. He called for the coronavirus vaccine as a world public health product to be distributed through multilateral cooperation.
German Chancellor Merkel said that global challenges such as coronavirus pandemic can only be overcome through global joint efforts. She called on all countries to support the “New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan” and strengthen the role of the World Health Organization.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that coronavirus pandemic has caused thousands of deaths and many people have lost their jobs and incomes. The global economy may fall into a long-term stagnation. Relying on the beneficial experience of jointly responding to the 2008 international financial crisis, the G20 has put forward a series of initiatives to fight the pandemic and restore the vitality of the global economy. It is the role of the G20 to coordinate countries’ cooperation to fight the pandemic and restore global economic growth to prevent more people from falling into poverty.
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga expressed the hope that countries around the world will continue to work together to strengthen the prevention and control of the pandemic, and at the same time introduce practical and effective measures to prevent continued economic deterioration. He emphasized the importance of strengthening international cooperation on the supply of coronavirus vaccines, and called for a fair environment in which anyone can be vaccinated. He reiterated that the Tokyo Olympics and the Tokyo Paralympics, scheduled to be held next summer, will be made into safe and secure games.
Turkish President Erdogan said that through this pandemic, people have further realized the value of international cooperation in a global crisis. All mankind is closely related and is an inseparable family.
South African President Ramaphosa said that coronavirus pandemic has hit Africa very severely. It is expected that the African economy will shrink by 3.2% this year. This is the first time that the African economy has fallen into recession in 25 years. He said that the current pandemic is still spreading and all countries should work towards an inclusive economic recovery. In this process, no country can be left behind.
Argentine President Fernandez called on members of the G20 to cooperate in response to coronavirus pandemic. He said that the problem of unbalanced development in today’s world has become increasingly prominent and has intensified in the pandemic. The members of the G20 should work hard to build a more integrated world and jointly respond to the enormous challenges posed by the pandemic.
Indian Prime Minister Modi said that the concerted efforts of major economies will help all parties recover from coronavirus pandemic more quickly. He called on the G20 to take decisive action.
