Riyadh Prepares For G20 with Decisive Decision, Bold Measures

 Riyadh will host the G20 leaders’ summit on Nov.21-22 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh will host the G20 leaders’ summit on Nov.21-22 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT

Riyadh Prepares For G20 with Decisive Decision, Bold Measures

 Riyadh will host the G20 leaders’ summit on Nov.21-22 (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Riyadh will host the G20 leaders’ summit on Nov.21-22 (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Few days before the annual summit of the leaders of the world’s largest economies, Riyadh is finalizing draft-decisions and recommendations that would be submitted by the G20. Those will be aimed at developing efficient solutions and bold action plans to enhance recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and restore growth to the global economy.

According to information obtained by Asharq Al-Awsat, the G20 secretariat's high-level meetings concluded that great efforts should be exerted to make the Riyadh summit “decisive” and capable of restoring hope and reassurance to the peoples of the world through a set of brave measures.

Work is currently underway to issue a strong and approved final statement for the G20 leaders’ summit, which would include commitments and pledges and underline the importance of solidarity and international cooperation to coordinate a unified response for the G20 members.

According to the information, the Saudi G20 presidency will hence highlight the following vision: “The health and economic challenges facing the world cannot be managed separately by every country. The world is interconnected, so there is a need to work together, while respecting the different views, circumstances and traditions.”

Riyadh will host the G20 leaders’ summit on Nov. 21-22, after a busy year that witnessed 180 conferences, including senior ministerial meetings and two summits.

Moreover, the Saudi Presidency of the G20 has taken rapid and unprecedented measures to protect the most vulnerable.

The G20 members have contributed nearly $21 billion to support health systems, develop a vaccine, and provide more than $14 billion to alleviate the debts of developing countries. This year’s presidency also saw the pumping of about $12 trillion to protect the global economy.



White House Says Hostage Killings Add Urgency to Gaza Ceasefire Talks

 Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)
Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)
TT

White House Says Hostage Killings Add Urgency to Gaza Ceasefire Talks

 Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)
Destroyed houses in Gaza are seen from the Israel-Gaza border, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, September 3, 2024. (Reuters)

The killing by Hamas of six hostages, whose bodies were recovered by Israeli troops over the weekend, underscores the urgency for a ceasefire deal in Gaza and release of the remaining captives, the White House said on Tuesday.

"Clearly what happened over the weekend underscores how important it is to get this done as quickly as possible," White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters in a briefing, adding that Hamas was responsible for their deaths.

The United States and its allies have been pushing hard to negotiate a ceasefire-for-hostages deal to bring at least a temporary stop to the Gaza conflict in exchange for the release of sick, elderly and wounded hostages.

But an agreement has been elusive. US officials have been working on what some officials call a final proposal, but Kirby was quick to say the United States would not be pushing a "take it or leave it" concept.

"We're working on a proposal that will secure the release of the remaining hostages and will include massive and immediate relief for the people of Gaza and also result in a stoppage of the fighting," he said.

He said he did not have a timeframe on when the proposal would be formally presented.

"We are still in constant consultations with Qatar, Egypt and Israel, and of course, Qatar and Egypt are in touch with Hamas, and we're going to do what we can to get it done," said Kirby.

President Joe Biden said on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs to do more to reach a ceasefire agreement.