The Secretary for Economic Relations of the Foreign Ministry, Jorge Neme, conveyed once again to his G20 counterparts President Alberto Fernández's proposal for a Comprehensive Global Solidarity Pact and the need to create a Global Humanitarian Emergency Fund to fight COVID-19. In that context, he suggested “removing unnecessary obstacles to international trade” and “focusing especially on affected small and medium-sized enterprises.”
Neme participated in the extraordinary G20 summit held via videoconference with his counterparts with a view to analysing the global effects of COVID-19 and discussing coordinated strategies to deal with the pandemic.
The Secretary noted that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship, Felipe Solá, is working on a Global Social Solidarity Pact and on the creation of a Global Humanitarian Emergency Fund to be better equipped with supplies to face the current circumstances, as proposed by President Fernández.
During the conference, the effects of COVID-19 on investments were also discussed, in light of serious downside risks and, in that regard, Neme called for “joint action to guarantee their continuous flow and to make sure that, after the pandemic, global production and job creation will increase and be enhanced.”
Finally, the Secretary for Economic Relations stated that Argentina stands ready to coordinate a joint and urgent response to the current crisis based on five pillars: health, economy, trade, investments and greater international cooperation.