G20 Agrees to Expedite PPE Shipment to Covid-19-affected Nations

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani said that G20 members have agreed to accelerate and increase the supply of personal protective equipment or PPE as well as other medical devices to countries affected by Covid-19. Sri said the pandemic has rendered many countries short of PPE for medical workers, as well as ventilators, medical test kits, and hand sanitizers.

"The IMF and the World Bank seek support so that companies that are able to procure it will be prioritized, so that the supply of medical devices throughout the world can be increased. Indonesia has the capacity to supply, including hand sanitizers, and others," Sri Mulyani said at a press conference at Bogor Palace on Thursday night, March 26.

In addition, Sri said, G20 members reached an agreement to learn between nations on what has been done in the fight against Covid-19.

The virtual meeting resulted in G20 country leaders' agreement to focus on saving human lives, as the coronavirus outbreak is not just a health problem but a human tragedy.

"Right now, this is about how the entire world is trying to reduce the risk of spreading. It will have consequences on many things," she said.

Previously, President Joko Widodo or Jokowi invited leaders of the G20 nations to band together and win two "wars"; the first is against the coronavirus, and the second against the weakening of the world economy. According to Jokowi, the G20 must become a driver in global solidarity to face and deal with Covid-19, and prevent the pandemic from disrupting partnerships that have been built for years.

"For this reason, the G20 must actively lead efforts to find the anti-virus and Covid-19 drugs, of course with the WHO," he said.

Ahmad Faiz Ibnu Sani