President of the Government takes part in virtual extraordinary G-20 Summit

Pedro Sánchez calls for unprecedented global coordination in tackling effects of COVID-19

2020.3.26

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Moncloa Palace, Madrid

President of the Government Sánchez called for the G-20 to send out a clear message that international leaders, in coordination with such international organisations as the World Health Organization (WHO), will do "whatever needs to be done" to contain this global pandemic and offer multilateral solutions to deal with the social and economic consequences.

To that end, and under the premise that this is a global shock and thus requires a global response, Pedro Sánchez asked for unprecedented, robust and large-scale coordination from the G-20, based on solidarity, to ensure that the medical equipment necessary arrives and guarantees that companies do not go bankrupt and that workers do not lose their jobs. In short, to ensure that "no-one is left behind in this fight against the coronavirus", he underlined.

In particular, Pedro Sánchez proposed to the G-20 that the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, should head up a global initiative to evaluate the damage caused by the coronavirus and prepare a roadmap that allows the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda to be achieved, placing the United Nations system at the heart of the multilateral response to this global crisis.

As regards specific health measures, the President of the Government stated to global leaders that Spain considers it a priority to speed up both scientific and industrial work to make vaccinations, diagnostic methods and therapeutic tools available as soon as possible. Pedro Sánchez stressed that the vaccination developed must be affordable to ensure the immunisation of all groups in society, in all countries, and thus avoid the vaccination becoming an unaffordable financial burden on health systems.

As regards its economic impact, Pedro Sánchez advocated global action that conveys security to the public and confidence to the markets in financial stability and the recovery of economic activity and jobs. With the same aim, he called for the multilateral trade system to be strengthened based on rules and the avoidance of trade tensions, which only heighten the economic impact.

The President of the Government also pointed to the need to develop preventive policies which are allocated the necessary funding, which could translate into the creation of a global fund to fight pandemics. He also called for strengthening international cooperation to help less developed and developing countries through support from international financial institutions.

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