Saudi to host 15th (5+5+5) G20 Leaders’ Summit in November 2020. “Saudi Arabia is fully committed to the G20’s objectives and to the ‘stability and prosperity’ of the international economic system.”
Gulf Business. April 18, 2019
Saudi Arabia will host the 15th annual G20 Leaders’ Summit on November 21 and 22, 2020 in its capital Riyadh, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Wednesday.
“Saudi Arabia is fully committed to the G20’s objectives and to the ‘stability and prosperity’ of the international economic system,” the agency said.
The event in 2019 addressed issues like global trade and climate change, with a special focus on the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.
It also witnessed the launch of the G20 Charter Initiative with Africa, which stressed the importance of partnership with African countries.
Ibrahim bin Abdulaziz Al-Assaf, Saudi minister of State, cabinet member and president of Saudi Arabia’s delegation participating in G20 Hamburg stressed that the kingdom already had a “strong and old relationship with Africa in various economic and developmental aspects”.
In his speech, the minister also emphasised “the importance of international cooperation to bridge the digital divide, support small and medium enterprises, promote competition in the digital economy, stimulate investment and encourage innovation, while enhancing consumer protection, reliability, information security and privacy”, the official Saudi News Agency (SPA) reported.
He also warned from the potential risks of the negative effects of digitisation on traditional employment, urging countries to reform the labour market.
Al-Assaf also touched upon women’s economic participation, and pointed out that the kingdom’s Vision 2030 focussed on supporting Saudi women by developing their talents and enabling them to obtain suitable opportunities in the labour market.
The kingdom has also “committed itself to implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030” as part of the Vision 2030 plan, which aims to improve the lives of citizens and promote economic growth. (The Sustainable Development Agenda includes ID2020, a ‘digital, biometric identification system’ for the world’s citizens)