G20’s dysfunctional family show little sign of working together in a crisis

Communique unlikely to stretch beyond usual platitudes despite the need for a global plan for recovery

The Cambodian prime minister, Hun Sen, was struck down by Covid, the Argentinian prime minister, Alberto Fernandez, had gastroenteritis and the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, either did or did not have chest pains that sent him to hospital. Given that Indonesia's G20 slogan plastered all around Bali says: Recover Together, Recover Stronger", it was not an auspicious performance by the world's leaders.

Unfortunately, there is precious little sign of recovery at the G20, either at a political or economic level.