Indonesia wants to use G20 presidency to aid COVID rebound

Indonesia's leader said Thursday that his country, which holds the presidency of the Group of 20 biggest economies this year, sought to strengthen global partnership and inclusiveness to aid the economic recovery amid a resurging COVID-19 pandemic.

In an online address to the World Economic Forum, Indonesian President Joko Widodo committed to making the G-20 presidency an important part of the response, with a focus on inclusive health care, the digital transformation and a transition to sustainable energy.

He called for world economic leaders to cooperate on trade, industrialisation and technology to aid the pandemic recovery.

“I will intensify interactions with world economic actors during the Indonesian presidency,” Widodo said, “I really hope the economic actors — all of you — have thoughts, concrete offers, which can be submitted to be part of the concrete achievements of the G20 summit.” Unlike that summit later this year, the World Economic Forum's annual meeting is for world and business leaders to discuss big ideas, not make deals on how to act. COVID-19 concerns delayed the forum's in-person gathering in Davos, Switzerland, but some panels and addresses are being held online.(AP) RUP RUP