G20 leaders 'looking forward' to meet again in Indonesia in 2022 and in India in 2023

In a joint Rome declaration, the leaders of the world's 20 largest economies said they are looking forward to meet again in Indonesia in 2022 and India in 2023 as the G20 Summit in Rome came to an end on Sunday, October 31. The leaders expressed gratitude to international organisations as well as the G20 Engagement Groups for their vital contributions and policy proposals. They also commended Italy for its Presidency and for successfully holding the Global Health Summit, which was co-chaired by the European Commission, and the Rome Leaders' Summit, as well as for its contribution to the G20 process.

"We thank the international organisations and the G20 Engagement Groups for their valuable inputs and policy recommendations. We thank Italy for its Presidency, for successfully hosting the Global Health Summit, co-Chaired with the European Commission, and the Rome Leaders' Summit, and for its contribution to the G20 process, and we look forward to meeting again in Indonesia in 2022, in India in 2023 and in Brazil in 2024," the declaration stated.

Meanwhile, India's Sherpa to the G20 Summit, Piyush Goyal, told reporters that India will continue to represent the developing countries and preserve humanity's interests. The hosting of the G20 has been switched between India and Indonesia, with Indonesia hosting in 2022 and India in 2023. The G-20 leaders also stated in their Rome proclamation that they are looking forward to the Beijing Winter Olympics and Paralympics in 2022 as opportunities for athletes from all around the world to compete, as well as a symbol of humanity's resilience. The G20 is a world-renowned forum that brings together the world's most powerful economies. Its members collectively account for more than 80% of global GDP, 75% of global trade, and 60% of the world's population.

G20 leaders vow to increase COVID vaccine supply 

G20 leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said on Sunday that vaccines are one of the most important tools in the fight against the COVID pandemic, and that they will take steps to increase vaccine supply in developing countries and remove relevant supply and financing constraints in order to meet the global goal of vaccinating at least 40% of the population in all countries by the end of 2021 and 70% by mid-2022.

The G20 leaders congratulated healthcare and frontline workers, international organisations, and scientists for their tireless efforts to combat the deadly Covid-19 outbreak in the Rome Declaration. The G20 nations said in their declaration, "recognising that vaccines are among the most important tools against the pandemic, and reaffirming that widespread COVID-19 immunisation is a global public good, we will advance our efforts to ensure timely, equitable, and universal access to safe, affordable, high-quality, and effective vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, with particular attention to the needs of low- and middle-income countries."

(Image: AP)