WEB DESK
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest challenge the world is facing since World War-II and is an important turning point in the history of humanity. He was speaking at the G20 summit, as he offered India’s IT prowess for efficient functioning of the grouping.
Modi also said that “Work from Anywhere” is a new normal in the post-COVID world and suggested creation of a virtual G20 secretariat.
The prime minister also suggested developing a new global index for the post-corona world that comprises four key elements — creation of a vast talent pool, ensuring that technology reaches all segments of society, transparency in systems of governance and dealing with Mother Earth with a spirit of trusteeship.
Based on this, the G20 can lay the foundation of a new world, he said.
The 15th G20 Summit has begun today in a virtual format. The two-day Summit is chaired by Saudi Arabia and the theme is “Realising the Opportunities of the 21st Century for All”. The summit is the second G20 Leaders’ meeting this year.
Saudi Arabia’s King Salman opened the Group of 20 summit as the coronavirus pandemic overshadows this year’s gathering of heads of state that is being held in the virtual format. India is scheduled to host the G20 summit in 2022.
The focus of the G20 Summit will be on an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19. During the Summit, the leaders will discuss pandemic preparedness and the ways and means to restore jobs.
Following the telephonic conversation between the Prime Minister and Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, the last G20 Extraordinary Leaders’ summit was held in March this year, where the leaders developed a timely understanding among the G20 countries to help contain the spread of the COVID 19 pandemic and to forge a global coordinated response.
India will enter the G20 Troika, along with Saudi Arabia when Italy will take over the Presidency of the G20 on 1st December this year.