H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed participates in G20 Foreign Ministers' Virtual Meeting

H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, participated in the Group of 20 (G-20) Foreign Ministers’ meeting which was held virtually on Thursday, 3rd September 2020 under the chairmanship of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The UAE attended in its capacity as a guest invitee at the G-20 Summit, which will take place in November 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Foreign Ministers’ meeting was convened to discuss cross-border management measures taken in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of exchanging national experiences, reinforcing the overall global preparedness framework, and discussing relevant lessons learned.

His Highness Sheikh Abdullah appreciated the sincere efforts made by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to convene this meeting, which, he said, provides a significant platform to ensure global synergy for stemming the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic on all fronts.

Addressing the meeting, Sheikh Abdullah welcomed His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud and President of the current session of the G20, and their Excellencies the Foreign Ministers of the countries participating in the event.

''As we approach the Riyadh Leaders’ Summit in November, I am confident that this year’s G20 Summit will lead to productive outcomes, should we maintain the momentum that has carried us forward so far. Under the distinguished Saudi Presidency’s guidance, the UAE will continue to work with G20 countries and other invited guests towards this goal, and to ensure that a strong message of unity emerges out of the Summit,'' Sheikh Abdullah concluded.

In a statement issued to the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah said:'' The UAE, similar to other countries, has taken exceptional measures to contain the spread of COVID-19. At the onset of the pandemic, the UAE immediately suspended all incoming and outgoing flights, accelerated strict procedures at all border crossings, suspended the issuances of all visas, and ensured there were sufficient cross-border controls in place to minimize movement.'' Since June, Sheikh Abdullah stated, the UAE has worked to cautiously loosen such restrictions, as the country has brought COVID-19 under control, to minimize the challenges facing our citizens and residents stuck abroad and to reopen our economy. Around 700,000 residents have now managed to come home to the UAE.

''The UAE has also played a leading role in facilitating the repatriation of citizens, both from the UAE and also between third countries, given the UAE is home to the world’s busiest international airport, two of the world’s leading airlines, and a very large expatriate population. As part of these measures, the UAE has facilitated nearly 2,000 repatriation flights through the UAE,'' H.H. added.

''Our experiences during COVID-19 have highlighted a number of lessons: First, I suggest we collectively think more about contingency planning. This would ensure that we are better prepared to deal with global challenges of the likes of the COVID-19 pandemic in the future, and to respond to them in a more coordinated way. By contrast, globally, our initial responses to COVID-19 were relatively hap-hazard and ad-hoc, without enough consideration of their impact on people often stranded far away from home or their families.

Second, we need to consider ways of effecting essential international travel in the context of the ongoing pandemic. In the UAE, we have worked hard to ensure that our international airports are fit for purpose and provided with state of the art machinery for the purpose of preventing and identifying COVID-19 cases,'' he explained.

''Third, we should ensure fair and equal treatment of citizens of all countries, irrespective of where they are coming from or travelling to. Many countries which have been applauded for their success in managing COVID-19 are now themselves subject to a second wave of cases.'' ''Fourth, it is important that we communicate effectively with our citizens and ensure that there is widespread understanding of the rationale behind our COVID-19 policies. Such communication is necessary to ensure buy-in and acceptance and the sense that we are all on one team, especially given how onerous and challenging some of these policies may have been for some individuals, families and small businesses.'' The G20 represents an important forum to tackle these issues and to foster international cooperation on cross-border management measures. It is in this light that I would like to express my gratitude to Saudi Arabia for convening today’s meeting and, more broadly, for its distinguished leadership throughout the entire G20 process in this difficult and challenging year.

In the run-up to the Leaders’ Summit in November, G20 Members and invited countries have participated in more than 14 Ministerial meetings, 49 Working Group meetings and 36 side events. In addition, the first-ever G20 Leaders’ Virtual Summit took place on 26 March, wherein participants committed to taking decisive actions on the economy, health, trade, and investment.

In December 2019, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia invited the UAE, in its capacity as current Chair of the GCC, to engage in the 2020 G-20 process.

Established in 1999, the G-20 Summit is an annual gathering of representatives of the world’s largest economies that works to strengthen international economic cooperation.

This year’s theme under Saudi Arabia’s G-20 presidency is "Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century for All," with the broad aims of "Empowering People, Safeguarding the Planet, and Shaping New Frontiers."