Saudi Arabia assumes G20 Presidency

Saudi Arabia has assumed the G20 Presidency, leading up to the Leaders' Summit in Riyadh on November 21-22, 2020.

The Saudi G20 Presidency commends the work of the Japanese G20 Presidency in 2019 and will continue to support the group's efforts to forge global cooperation, reports Saudi Gazette.

Commenting on the Presidency launch, Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, said, "The Saudi G20 Presidency is committed to continuing the work carried out in Osaka and promoting multilateral consensus."

"Working with our G20 partners, we will strive to deliver concrete actions and realize opportunities to enable us to face the challenges of the future," the Crown Prince said.

"Saudi Arabia is at the crossroads of three continents — Asia, Africa and Europe. In hosting the G20, the Kingdom will have an important role to play by sharing the perspective of the Middle East and North Africa region," he added.

"We believe this will be a unique opportunity to shape consensus on international issues as we welcome the world to the Kingdom," the Crown Prince stressed.

Saudi Arabia will guide the work of the G20 under the theme of "Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All" and will focus on three aims:

• Empowering People, by creating the conditions in which all people — especially women and young people — can live, work and thrive.

• Safeguarding the Planet, by fostering collective efforts on food and water security, climate, energy and environment.

• Shaping New Frontiers, by adopting long-term, bold strategies to share the benefits of innovation and technological advancement.

During the G20 Presidency, Saudi Arabia is committed to ensure the G20 continues to reflect a broad and inclusive range of international perspectives.

In line with that commitment, Saudi Arabia has extended invitations to Jordan, Singapore, Spain and the Swiss Confederation.

Additionally, regional organizations are also invited, including the Arab Monetary Fund (AMF), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), as well as Vietnam as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Africa as the chair of the African Union (AU), the United Arab Emirates as the chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and Senegal as the chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

International organizations that have historically contributed significantly to the G20 agenda will be invited, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Financial Stability Board (FSB), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the United Nations (UN), the World Bank Group (WBG), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In the run-up to the Leaders' Summit, Saudi Arabia will host more than 100 events and conferences, including ministerial meetings and meetings of officials and representatives from civil society, including the Business 20, Youth 20, Labor 20, Think 20, Civil 20, Women 20, Science 20 and Urban 20.