President Jokowi invites G20 Leaders to 2022 Bali Summit

Jakarta (ANTARA) - As Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) symbolically received the Group of 20 (G20) relay baton in Rome, Italy, on Sunday, he invited world leaders to continue the summit at Bali next year.

The relay baton, passed on to Widodo, marks Indonesia's first time in holding the G20 presidency, a global forum in which member countries contribute 80 percent of the world's gross domestic product (GDP).

With Indonesia’s G20 presidency next year, Widodo then invited world leaders to continue discussions at Indonesia's G20 Summit planned to be held in Bali on October 30-31, 2022.

"We will welcome the guests in an open space, on a beautiful  beach, which will inspire innovative ideas for the G20 productivity in future. See you in Indonesia. Thank you," President Jokowi stated, as quoted from a statement of the Press Bureau of the Presidential Secretariat here on Monday.

At the closing session of the G20 summit in Rome, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi symbolically handed over the gavel to President Jokowi, who then stroked it.

In his speech, the president also lauded Italy that had successfully held the 2021 G20 presidency.

"I congratulate Italy for successfully running the G20 presidency this year. Indonesia is honored to continue the G20 presidency in 2022," Widodo remarked.

He later highlighted that Indonesia's strength in the G20 will drive joint efforts for recovering the world economy, with the theme "Recover Together, Recover Stronger."

The growth, which is inclusive, people-centric, environment-friendly, and sustainable, is a key commitment of Indonesia's leadership in the G20, he affirmed.

"These efforts must be conducted in extraordinary ways, especially through deeper world collaboration and continuous innovation. The G20 should drive ecosystem development that facilitates collaboration and innovation. This is what we must continue in our future meetings," he expounded.