Image: WSJ

Faizel Patel – 22/11/2020

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

Leaders of the twenty biggest economies have vowed a safe distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, drugs and tests around the world and to do what is needed to support poorer countries struggling to recover from the pandemic.

The health crisis and uncertain global recovery prospects dominated the first day of the two day G20 leaders summit being in Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

The G20 leaders established a forward-looking agenda under the Saudi Presidency, on which they worked collectively during the pandemic and its toll on humanity, restore growth and recovery, as well as accelerate development and delivery of vaccines, diagnostics and treatments.

Addressing a meeting on the margins of the G20 summit, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, says the pandemic  has demonstrated that international cooperation is the optimal way to overcome  crises.

“We must focus on the most vulnerable segments. We must provide support for all countries of the world, for  we would not be safe until everyone is safe. With the advances we are witnessing in the Covid-19 vaccine development, our top priority is to ensure affordable and equitable access to the vaccine and diagnostic tools for all. Together we can reach our goal of protecting lives, livelihoods and shaping a better world to realize the opportunities for the 21st century for all. ”

German Chancellor Angel Merkel announced that her country is contributing more than five hundred million Euros for efforts to find suitable treatment urging other nations to do the same.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered to provide Russia’s Sputnik Coronavirus vaccines to other countries and says Moscow is already preparing a second and third vaccine.

China, where the pandemic emerged about a year ago also offered to cooperate. Beijing has five homegrown candidates for vaccines undergoing the last phase of trials.

More than 58 million people have contracted COVID-19 across the globe while more than 1.3 million have died from the virus.