President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will return to Jakarta for the G20 leaders' virtual summit after attending his mother’s funeral, Sujiatmi Notomiharjo, at a family burial complex, Karanganyar, Central Java, Thursday, at 1 p.m. local time.

Despite being a difficult time, President Jokowi will participate in a videoconference of the G20 leaders' Summit from the Bogor Presidential Palace, scheduled to commence at 7 p.m. Western Indonesia Time, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung stated.

"Mr President is so steadfast and is constantly pondering over his work (as the head of state and head of government)," Anung noted in his message circulated to journalists in Jakarta on Thursday.

Sujiatmi Notomiharjo, 77, who had been battling cancer since the past four years, breathed her last at around 4:45 p.m. local time on Wednesday in her hometown, Solo.

Despite it being a trying time for the head of state owing to the passing away of his beloved mother, President Jokowi has remained focused on the utmost endeavors to handle the impact of the ongoing pandemic of the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), he pointed out.

President Jokowi is also well-prepared for the virtual summit of G-10 leaders under the chairmanship of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, he added.

Meanwhile, Saudi Gazette reported from Jeddah that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has called for a united global response to combat coronavirus.

On the eve of a virtual global summit of G20 leaders, convened by Saudi Arabia, which currently holds the group's presidency, on coronavirus outbreak and its economic fallout, King Salman made a strong appeal for a coordinated united action.

"As the world confronts the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges to healthcare systems and the global economy, we convene this extraordinary G20 summit to unite efforts towards a global response," King Salman was quoted by Saudi Gazette as saying in a tweet.

The G20 members comprise Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, and the European Union.

 

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Pewarta: Hanni S, Rahmad Nasution

Editor : Slamet Hadi Purnomo


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