Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend an emergency virtual summit of G20 leaders to advance the coordinated response to the novel coronavirus pandemic on Thursday (March 26, 2020). The meeting will be chaired by Saudi Arabia’s King Salman.
“The G20 has an important global role to play in addressing the COVID 19 pandemic. I look forward to productive discussions tomorrow at the G20 virtual summit, being coordinated by the Saudi G20 Presidency,” PM had said in a tweet on Wednesday.
It may be noted that the deadly coronavirus has claimed more than 21,000 lives across the globe as of now and upended life and businesses around the world. The summit is likely to chalk out a strategy to counter the coronavirus pandemic.
Apart from the G20 leaders, the heads of state of Jordan, Spain, Singapore and Switzerland will also participate in the meeting. UAE will also be a part in its capacity as sitting president of the Gulf Cooperation Council states.
The idea of the summit was mooted by PM Modi with other G20 leaders like his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison & Chair of G20 Saudi King Salman.
Other G20 member countries have lauded India’s role at the grouping regarding the need for a summit via video conference on coronavirus outbreak.Earlier on Wednesday, PM Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a telephonic conversation and discussed the measures put in place in both nations to fight coronavirus.
The Prime Minister also expressed condolences at the loss of lives in Russia and extended good wishes for the early recovery of those who are battling COVID-19.