Undersecretary Scalfarotto attended today the extraordinary meeting of the G20 Trade Ministers, convened to discuss the response to the COVID 19 crisis, prepared by the Trade and Investment Working Group (TIWG). The initiative, promoted by the Saudi Presidency-in-Office, is aimed at identifying short and long-term collective initiatives, to alleviate the economic impact of the pandemic, relaunching multilateral trade cooperation and accelerating economic recovery.
During his speech, Mr Scalfarotto thanked the Saudi Presidency. He welcomed the measures taken, recalling the vital role that international trade could play in boosting economic growth. Mr Scalfarotto also hoped that the G20 could continue to work with even greater determination to tackle obstacles to free trade, not only in sectors such as medicine or pharmaceuticals, more related to the emergency but also in other areas. Next year Italy will hold the presidency of the G20. It will be called upon to pursue its objectives with a greater ambition to safeguard essential aspects for economic growth, such as free trade and global supply chains. The same ambition that the international community will be called upon to show in strengthening multilateral trade fora, starting with an urgent relaunch of the WTO also following a shared process of reform of the organisation itself.
