TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko ”Jokowi” Widodo on Thursday, March 26, participated in the G20 summit to discuss the global approach in handling the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic.

Jokowi participated in the virtual conference of Group of 20 major economies at the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java just one day after the passing of his mother, Sujatmi Notomiharjo.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, who accompanied the president in the meeting, revealed that the main focus of the meeting was to accelerate the research and development of coronavirus vaccine.

”A collective effort in finding a vaccine to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, the collaboration will be held between the entire nation, World Health Organization (WHO), and GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation),” said Sri Mulyani in her Secretary Cabinet conference canal.

Furthermore, the G20 members’ finance ministers are also concocting plans to initiate crowdfunding meant to accelerate the research and development of COVID-19 vaccine. According to Sri Mulyani, the discussion indicated that $4 billion will be collectively mobilized among G20 nations and other countries.

The summit also agreed to further support the production and supply of personal protective equipment after the IMF and World Bank agreed to prioritize loans for factories producing the critical commodity amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

EKO WAHYUDI