Multilateralism is vital in COVID era, says Saudi envoy

Multilateralism is vital in COVID era, says Saudi envoy

NEW YORK: Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, the permanent Saudi representative to the UN, on Thursday reaffirmed the Kingdom's commitment to multilateralism. Speaking during a G20 sherpas' meeting at the General Assembly, Al-Mouallimi reiterated the Saudi commitment to the UN. He said the country is also committed to promoting "global cooperation in order to ensure the challenges the world faces today are addressed in a timely and non-discriminatory manner (and) to promote collective work to maintain peace and stability." He continued: "We take pride in being the first Arab country to host the G20, but also in being the presidency that will be remembered for taking immediate action to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, to protect people's lives and livelihoods, preserve and safeguard the planet and harness the potential of innovation to shape new frontiers." He said that empowering people, safeguarding the planet and shaping the future by adopting long-term strategies designed to share the benefits of technological innovation, were the three pillars that had guided the Saudi vision for its G20 presidency. Under the Saudi presidency, G20 governments had endorsed the group's support for COVID-19 response and recovery efforts in developing countries, guidelines on quality infrastructure for regional connectivity, and financing for