Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State and UAE Sherpa participated in the Second Extraordinary G-20 Sherpa Meeting on Friday wherein he highlighted the challenges faced by various countries due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The UAE participated in the virtual Sherpa Meeting on Friday during when officials representatives of G20 (Group of 20) member countries assembled to discuss the preparations of the G20 Summit. Furthermore, the member countries also discussed the ongoing developments in efforts to combat COVID-19. The UAE attended the meeting as a guest invitee at the G20 Summit, which is scheduled to take place in November 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Speaking at the meeting, Al Sayegh expressed his gratitude to the Saudi President for its exceptional leadership in taking the efforts towards the global response to the pandemic crisis. He further highlighted the developments since the last Sherpa Meeting in March following which member countries have worked for the betterment of the society, restore growth, promote job creation, and protect the health of the citizens.

The UAE Minister laid emphasis on the pivotal role played by G20 Sherpas in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, taking stock of the global response against the health crisis, and continuous efforts to formulate key messages for the Leaders’ Summit Declaration in November during the Riyadh Summit.

He stressed on the significance of G20's focus on the repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis in developing and least-developed countries. He went on to welcome the plans for a G20 Emergency COVID-19 Response and Recovery Plan in African and Low Income and Developing Countries along with the G20’s endorsement of the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI).

Additionally, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) had also announced the suspension of debt service repayments for eligible countries during this year. In response to COVID-19, the UAE has played a valuable role in supporting countries worldwide in their efforts against the crisis by providing more than 1,100 metric tons of aid to 89 countries which have provided assistance to more than one million health professionals across the globe.

Al Sayegh went on to underline the recent successful launch of 'Hope' by the UAE leadership. 'Hope' is the first-ever Arab-led probe to Mars. Speaking about the initiative, Al Sayegh said that it was "truly an exercise in international collaboration, with UAE scientists working closely with counterparts from many other countries to prepare the probe for launch and beyond."

He further called attention to the UAE leadership's efforts in achieving great things for the common good, adding that the country "believes in the importance of a strong message of unity emerging out of the Leaders’ Summit in November".

This year's theme for the Leaders’ Summit under Saudi Arabia’s G-20 presidency is "Realising Opportunities of the 21st Century for All", with the broad aims of "Empowering People, Safeguarding the Planet, and Shaping ew Frontiers."

Established in 1990, the G20 Summit is an annual gathering wherein representatives of the world's largest economies come together to review ways to strengthen international economic cooperation.

Ahead of the Leaders’ Summit in November, G20 Members and invited countries have participated in over 13 Ministerial meetings, 45 Working Group meetings, and 29 side events.

The first-ever G20 Leaders’ Virtual Summit that took place on March 26 in the wake of Coronavirus pandemic restrictions discussed the commitment regarding collaborative actions on the economy, health, trade, and investment.

In December 2019, Saudi Arabia invited the UAE, in its capacity as current Chair of the GCC, to engage in the 2020 G20 process. The First Extraordinary Sherpa Meeting took place on March 25, 2020.

WAM