Saudi finance minister praises G20 response on virus

Leaders of the world's most powerful nations wrapped up the Group of 20 summit on Sunday, vowing to spare no effort to protect lives and ensure affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all people.

The two-day summit of heads of state was held virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic, which has killed at least 1.38 million people globally, with the world’s highest death tolls recorded in seven of the G-20 countries.

Speaking at the summit's closing stages, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Finance, Mohammed Al Jadaan, praised countries for coming together to combat the "serious challenge" of COVID-19.

During a news conference on Sunday, Al Jadaan said the G20 should work to avoid "leaving any country behind" economically in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, adding that a collaborative international effort was essential.

The G-20, which includes the U.S., India, China, the U.K., France, Germany, Japan and others, also stressed the importance of global access to COVID-19 vaccines, drugs and tests.

The virus has wiped out hundreds of millions of jobs globally and plunged millions into extreme poverty.