Sri Mulyani: Results Of The G20 Summit, One Of The Results Concerning Efforts To Find A COVID-19 Vaccine

JAKARTA - The countries with the world's largest economies that are members of the G20 held an Extraordinary Summit (Summit) to discuss the handling of the global corona virus pandemic or COVID-19. The meeting virtually produced four main points.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani said, first, regarding a joint commitment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Sri explained, the focus of the leaders of the G20 countries is being able to save human lives.

Because according to him, this is not just a mere health problem, but has turned into a human tragedy.

"At present, how all countries in the world are trying to reduce the risk of prevention and spread. That will have consequences for many things," said Sri Mulyani, through the Cabinet Secretary's live broadcast, Thursday, March 26.

Second, continued Sri Mulyani, the meeting also discussed how to prevent negative impacts on the global economy. According to him, the finance ministers and central bank governors in the G20 countries had discussed the methods. One of them, regarding the discovery of vaccines.

"In order to find the COVID-19 vaccine together, there will be collaboration between WHO, GAFI and all countries," he said.

Sri Mulyani explained, to support the acceleration of the discovery of the COVID-19 vaccine, all countries in the world, especially members of the G20, will take part in funding of up to 4 billion US dollars (US).

"(The funds are for) accelerating research and finding antivirals or vaccines for the COVID-19 pandemic. This is being discussed together at the level of the finance ministers of the G20 members," he explained.

Then, continued Sri Mulyani, the third focus is how to maintain the global supply chain, especially with regard to medical equipment. He said, currently the medical equipment that is needed, but the supply is very low.

Sri explained that all countries, including Italy, United Kingdom, United States and Indonesia, experienced a shortage of medical equipment, especially PPE, test kits and ventilators.

"Currently, the IMF and World Bank are trying to support distrosis. So that companies that can get it can be prioritized. So that the supply of medical devices throughout the world can be increased. Indonesia has the capacity to supply, including hand sanitizers, and others," he said.

Sri Mulyani said the fourth focus was for the G20 countries to help partnerships for poor countries in dealing with COVID-19.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, said Sri Mulyani, will identify countries that are classified as low-income countries so that their debts can be restructured.

For your information, the summit was chaired directly by King Salman of Saudi Arabia as the 2020 G20 Presidency. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was also present at the virtual meeting, although he was still in mourning for the death of his mother.