Erdogan Tells G20 Leaders To Abandon Protectionism, Unilateralism Amid COVID-19

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called upon G20 leaders during an extraordinary online summit on Thursday to refrain from pursuing protectionist and unilateral policies in responding to the coronavirus pandemic

ANKARA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th March, 2020) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called upon G20 leaders during an extraordinary online summit on Thursday to refrain from pursuing protectionist and unilateral policies in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.

"None of us have the luxury of pursuing a one-sided and protectionist policy. If decisions are made unilaterally, then we will not be able to respond to such challenges. Until the humanity can breathe calmly, I invite all countries to fight this epidemic together," Erdogan said.

He further called for all individual national measures taken against the spread of COVID-19 to correspond to the WTO regulations and to endorse international cooperation.

"We must share information about the spread of the epidemic, methods for its control and treatment.

Coronavirus has once again accentuated the importance of a consensus spirit among G20 countries. We must keep the fight against the epidemic under control, take responsibility and demonstrate global collaboration," Erdogan continued.

According to the Turkish leader, the population segment most vulnerable in the face of the deadly infection are refugees. He used the G20 summit rostrum to call for establishing a working group within G20 for assistance to refugees and residents of conflict zones with no functioning healthcare system in place.

The extraordinary G20 summit was held on the internet and hosted by Saudi Arabia.