Riyadh – Saudi Arabia became the first Arab nation Sunday to take over the G20 presidency, which will see it host world leaders for a global summit in its capital next November 21-22.
“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia assumes the G20 Presidency today, leading up to the summit in Riyadh” in 2020, the official Saudi Press Agency said.
“The Saudi G20 presidency is committed to continuing the work from Osaka and promoting multilateral consensus,” said Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia will host more than 100 events and conferences in the run-up to the summit, including ministerial meetings, the agency said.
He praised it as a “unique opportunity” to shape international consensus, SPA added.
“When Saudi Arabia assumes the G20 presidency, it will become the first (Arab) nation to lead this intergovernmental body,” Dennis Snower, president of the think-tank Global Solutions Initiative, said in a statement.
“This presidency… will be challenged by a central paradox: global risks like climate change, demographic developments, such as low birth rates, rising life expectancy and aging societies… but rising populism and nationalism are preventing progress at the multilateral level.”
