G20 trade ministers meet to discuss COVID-19

ISTANBUL

G20 trade ministers met to discuss global developments due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Turkish Trade Ministry announced on Wednesday.

A video conference meeting, chaired by Saudi Arabia, was attended by ministers from Switzerland, Spain, Singapore, the U.A.E. and Jordan, and representatives from the World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and UN Conference on Trade and Development.

The meeting urged the world to determine a common stance against pandemic's impact on the global economy and trade.

"In fighting this pandemic, the meeting stressed the importance of sustaining trade in directly health-related products and services without interruption, and global cooperation, as well as a transparent and rapid information flow and share of experience," the press release read.

Emergency measures taken in fighting COVID-19 should not impose unnecessary restrictions on trade or harm global supply chains, it added.

After emerging in Wuhan, China in December, the virus has spread to at least 180 countries and regions, with confirmed cases surpassing 877,400.

Global death toll from the virus climbed above 43,500, according to figures compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

More than 185,200 patients have recovered so far.