The Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic and the special videoconference of G20 leaders was the focus of phone talks on Friday between Italy's premier Giuseppe Conte and Saudi Arabia's King Salman, Conte's office said in a statement.
"The two leaders exchanged views on the extraordinary G20 Summit on Covid-19 held yesterday. The Saudi King expressed solidarity with Italy and support for its efforts aimed at preventing and combating the pandemic, " said the statement.
Saudi Arabia is currently chairing the G20 and during Thursday's videoconference, Salman urged rich countries to help poorer nations confront the coronavirus crisis and accompanying economic shock.
Saudi Arabia said it welcomed stimulus measures taken by individual countries to revive their economies and mitigate the devastation caused by Covid-19, Salman said. But the Saudi ruler also urged stronger, effective and coordinated cooperation between nations to respond to the crisis and restore confidence in the global economy.
Italy, also a member of the G20, is the country so far hit hardest by Covid-19 with more confirmed cases and deaths than China - the country from which the pandemic originated.
