Coronavirus crisis, global recession dominate G-20 ‘virtual’ summit

Coronavirus crisis, global recession dominate G-20 ‘virtual’ summit

RIYADH “” Saudi Arabia's King Salman Bin Abdulaziz opened the G-20 summit on Saturday in a first for an Arab nation, with the virtual forum dominated by efforts to tackle the coronavirus crisis and the worst global recession in decades.

G-20 leaders popped up in multiple windows across a flickering screen, in a high-stakes webinar held amid the raging pandemic.

The leaders are huddling online for the two-day "gathering" as international efforts intensify for a large-scale rollout of coronavirus vaccines after a breakthrough in trials, and as calls grow for G-20 nations to plug a $4.5-billion funding shortfall.

"Although we are optimistic about the progress made in developing vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics tools for COVID-19, we must work to create the conditions for affordable and equitable access to these tools for all people," said King Salman, the summit's host.

"We have a duty to rise to the challenge together during this summit and give a strong message of hope and reassurance to our people by adopting policies to mitigate this crisis," he told world leaders in opening remarks.

As the trailblazing event got under way, there were some early quirks, with someone heard telling the king that "the whole world is watching" before the event