Saudi, Decmber 03, 219:  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia assumes the G20 Presidency today, leading up to the Leaders' Summit in Riyadh on 21-22 November, 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.

 

Commenting on the Presidency launch, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister said:

 

'The Saudi G20 Presidency is committed to continuing the work from 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.'

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince added:

 

'The Kingdom of 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. We believe this will be a unique opportunity to shape consensus on international issues as we welcome the world to the Kingdom.'

 

The Kingdom 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 its G20 Presidency, The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is committed to ensuring the G20 continues to reflect a broad and inclusive range of international perspectives. In line with that commitment, the Kingdom has extended invitations to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Singapore, the Kingdom of 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 the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Republic of South Africa as the Chair of the African Union (AU), the United Arab Emirates as the Chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and the Republic of Senegal as the Chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).

 

International organizations have historically contributed significantly to the G20 agenda. Invited international organizations for 2020 include 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, the Kingdom of 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, Labour 20, Think 20, Civil 20, Women 20, Science 20 and Urban 20.