88 pc of deaths due to COVID-19 in G20 countries, need concrete action plan: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called on G20 countries to come out with a concrete action plan to fight coronavirus, saying that 90 per cent of COVID-19 cases and 88 per cent deaths from the global pandemic were from the member countries even as they share 80 per cent of world GDP and 60 per cent of the global population.

In his remarks at the Extraordinary Virtual G20 Leaders' Summit, Prime Minister Modi underscored the need to put human beings at the centre of the vision of global prosperity and cooperation.

He also emphasised the need to freely and openly share the benefits of medical research and development, develop adaptive, responsive and humane health care systems, promote new crisis management protocols and procedures for an interconnected global village, strengthen and reform intergovernmental organisations like WHO and work together to reduce economic hardships resulting from COVID-19 particularly for the economically weak.

The Extraordinary Virtual G20 Leaders' Summit was held on Thursday to discuss the challenges posed by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and to forge a globally coordinated response.

According to an External Affairs Ministry release, Prime Minister Modi called upon on the leaders to help usher in new globalisation for the collective well-being of humankind and have multilateral fora focus on promoting the shared interests of humanity.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had a telephonic conversation with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on this subject.

The extraordinary G20 summit was a culmination of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors meeting and G20 Sherpas Meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the meeting, G20 leaders agreed to take all necessary measures to contain the pandemic and protect people. They also supported the strengthening of the WHO's mandate in the fight against pandemics, including the delivery of medical supplies, diagnostic tools, treatments, medicines and vaccines.

Leaders also committed to using all available policy tools to minimise the economic and social cost of the pandemic and to restore global growth, market stability and strengthening resilience.

G20 countries committed to inject over USD 5 trillion into the global economy to counter the social and economic impact of COVID-19. The leaders also agreed to contribute to the WHO-led COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund on a voluntary basis.

The Prime Minister thanked the King of Saudi Arabia for convening this extraordinary session of G20.

At the end of the summit, a G20 leaders' statement was issued which called for a coordinated global response to fight the pandemic, adopting measures to safeguard the global economy, minimising trade disruption and steps to enhance global cooperation.