“Multilateralism is the most effective way to overcome common challenges. I call upon parliaments, as representative of the people, to overcome differences, be bridge-builders and act together toward achieving peace and economic recovery," said President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, when inagurating the 8^th Group of Twenty (G20) Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit, on Oct. 6 in Jakarta.

Jokowi further noted countries’ different capabilities to mitigate current crisis, thus deepening global inequality. The President also highlighted that global challenges could not be solved by a single country alone. Hence, he urged parliaments, through dialogue and diplomacy, to promote collective efforts to contribute to find solutions to common challenges.

Under the theme “Stronger Parliament for Stronger Recovery”, Indonesia hosted the 8^th G20 Parliamentary Speakers’ Summit (P20 Summit) on Oct. 6-7 in Senayan Parliament Complex, Jakarta. The meeting was attended by more than 200 delegates comprised of speakers and members of parliaments from 24 countries.

The meeting discussed four priorites of the P20, namely: Sustainable Development and the Green Economy; Food, Energy Security and Economic Challenges; Effective Parliament and Vibrant Democracy; and Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.

Parliaments agreed on reinvigorating their legislative, budgetary and oversight functions to transform SGDs commitment into national realities, and strengthen their contributions toward advancing peace, sustainable development and economic recovery.

Parliaments further reaffirmed their commitments to redouble their efforts in mobilizing resources to keep the SDGs on track, advancing digital economy that is inclusive, open, fair and non-discriminatory, promoting environmentally sound economic development as well as achieving gender parity in parliament.

In addition, the meeting underscored the need to support developing countries to recover from

the COVID-19 pandemic and related crises. It urged developed countries to fully deliver on their commitments on climate change funding and transfer technology to developing countries.

Parliaments also commited to actively engaged in the G20 Process to provide a substantive contribution to G20 deliberations.

The 8^th P20 Summit delivered a summary outlining commitments to redouble efforrts to strengthen economic recovery and accelerate sustainable development.  The document will be submitted to the G20 Leaders’ Summit which will be held in Bali, on Nov. 15-16.

P20 is an engagement group within the G20 workstream, which was reintroduced by Indonesia to put forward parliamentary perspective to global governance. Aside from the P20, other engagement groups include Business 20, Civil 20, Labour 20, Science 20, SAI20 (Supreme Audit Institutions), Think 20, Urban 20, Women 20 and Youth 20.

The Indonesian G20 presidency is committed to engage with non-government participants and relevant stakeholders in the policy-making and G20 process. P20 will be continued by the upcoming G20’s India presidency in 2023.