G20 leaders urge support for global Covid-19 vaccine access at summit

G20 countries have contributed billions of dollars toward developing a vaccine for the virus but they have also mostly focused on securing their own vaccine supplies.

A family photo featuring members of the G20 is projected onto the walls of Salwa Palace. Picture: DGDA/AP

The G20 summit has opened with appeals by the world’s most powerful leaders to collectively chart a way forward as the coronavirus pandemic overshadows this year’s gathering, transforming it from in-person meetings to virtual speeches and declarations.

In a sign of the times, the traditional “family photo” of leaders in the summit was digitally designed and superimposed on a historical site just outside the Saudi capital, Riyadh, which would have hosted the gathering. The kingdom has presided over the G20 this year.