G20 warned of Ukraine threat to global recovery

Jakarta: The crisis in Ukraine is a serious threat to the global economy's post-pandemic recovery, Indonesia´s leader on Thursday warned a meeting of finance chiefs from the G20 nations.

The Group of 20 -- which brings together the world´s top economies including the US, China and some European nations -- is holding talks in hybrid format in the Indonesian capital Jakarta.

Opening the two-day meeting, Indonesian President Joko Widodo warned of the risks to the fragile recovery from the crisis in Ukraine, where fears are growing that Russia is set to invade.

"This is not the time for rivalries and creating new tensions that disrupt the... recovery, let alone endanger the safety of the world, as is happening in Ukraine," said Widodo, whose country currently holds the G20 presidency.

"All parties must stop the rivalry and tension."

He urged the G20, which includes Russia, to instead focus on "collaborating" to help boost the global economy.

The threat of a Russian invasion of its ex-Soviet neighbour presents a fresh challenge for a world already struggling to keep a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic on track as inflation surges.

Also on the agenda at the meeting -- originally due to take place on holiday island Bali before being moved due to an Omicron virus wave -- was how to reform global health systems to be better prepared for future pandemics.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, speaking via video-link, said that "we must act urgently to strengthen the global health architecture so that we have the tools to prevent, prepare for, and respond to future health crises".

The world´s large economies "must also focus on mobilising the funding needed to address gaps in the system," she said.

Calls have been growing for new funding systems, especially following the challenges in producing and distributing Covid vaccines.

Financing needs are "undeniable", with estimates of the amount required running to $75 billion over the next five years, Yellen said.

Britain´s Finance Minister Rishi Sunak, who was also taking part remotely, said a full global economic recovery "will not be possible until we achieve our immediate priority of getting vaccines from airports to arms".

His Indonesian counterpart Sri Mulyani Indrawati said the G20 was discussing establishing a fund to combat future health crises, which would be coordinated by the World Health Organization.

Efforts to strengthen the global health architecture can only succeed if they bolster the WHO´s role, the body´s chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed.

"It´s clear that at the centre of this architecture, the world needs a strong and sustainably financed WHO... with its unique mandate, unique technical expertise and unique global legitimacy," Tedros told the talks.

Sunak also called for international cooperation to strengthen supply chain and energy market resilience.

"As we know, high energy prices and disruptions to our global supply chains have caused real challenges in many of our economies," he said.

"It is critical that we, together, work to promote the resilience of energy markets and supply chains to future shocks while remaining committed to openness."