Major 20-Country Group International Cooperation Ambassadors Attend
Korea Urges Progress in Discussions to Promote Cross-Border Workforce Mobility
Member Countries Mention Debt Repayment Suspension for Low-Income Nations and Strengthening Climate Change Response
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] Ahead of the G20 Summit scheduled for November this year, the G20 Sherpa virtual meeting was held on October 29-30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 1st.
From Korea, Choi Kyung-rim, the G20 Ambassador for International Cooperation, attended. Sherpas from each member country assist their leaders in preparing for the G20 Summit by gathering opinions on the agenda and negotiating the draft of the leaders' declaration.
This meeting was held to discuss the content of the leaders' declaration to be announced at the November summit. The Sherpas reviewed the implementation status of the G20-level measures for COVID-19 response and global economic recovery, which the leaders agreed upon at the special summit in March.
The member countries emphasized that in response to the unprecedented pandemic crisis, G20 nations must strengthen solidarity and leadership to ensure equitable and sufficient distribution of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments to all. They also stressed the need for closer policy coordination for global economic recovery through strengthening the multilateral trading system and social protection for vulnerable groups. In particular, they mentioned the importance of debt repayment suspension for low-income countries severely affected economically and strengthening climate change response, which could pose an even greater threat to humanity during the economic recovery process.
Ambassador Choi introduced Korea's experience in facilitating cross-border movement of essential personnel such as businesspeople and workers for critical activities without undermining quarantine efforts, and urged advancing discussions at the G20 level to promote such cross-border personnel mobility.
He also proposed utilizing the global economic recovery process as an opportunity for a sustainable green economy transition and acceleration of the digital economy, and to continue establishing norms and sharing experiences at the G20 level. He mentioned the importance of women's labor market participation affected by COVID-19, as well as improving women's status and achieving gender equality, and highlighted the need to improve educational accessibility through the use of digital technology and bridging the digital divide.
Based on the results of this meeting, the G20 Sherpas will prepare a draft of the leaders' declaration reflecting the COVID-19 situation and the current global economic status, and will make preparations so that the leaders can adopt a declaration expressing strong will and response measures for COVID-19 at the November summit.
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