Spain's President Pedro Sánchez tests positive for COVID-19, to miss G20 Summit

Spain’s President Pedro Sánchez will skip the G20 Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi after he tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, becoming the third world leader after Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin to have pulled out of the summit. “This afternoon I have tested positive for COVID and will not be able to travel to New Delhi for the G20 Summit. I feel fine,” wrote Sánchez in a post in Spanish on X (formerly Twitter).

Esta tarde he dado positivo en COVID y no podré viajar a Nueva Delhi para asistir a la Cumbre del G-20.

Me encuentro bien.

España estará magníficamente representada por la vicepresidenta primera y ministra de Asuntos Económicos y el ministro de Exteriores, UE y Cooperación.

— Pedro Sánchez (@sanchezcastejon) September 7, 2023

He added that Spain will be represented at the summit by the First Vice President Nadia Calvino and Minister of Economic Affairs and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, EU and Cooperation. Meanwhile, the stage is set for the G20 Summit in the national capital at the newly inaugurated Bharat Mandapam. This is the first time that the G20 Summit is taking place under India’s presidency. The event will be graced by many global leaders and delegates. Extensive preparations and arrangements have been made for the summit, with the intention of showcasing both India’s soft power as well as modern face. Formed in 1999, the G20 was formed to maintain global financial stability by incorporating middle-income countries. India assumed the G20 presidency on December 1 last year and about 200 meetings related to G20 were organized in 60 cities across the country. The 18th G20 Summit in New Delhi will be a culmination of all the G20 processes and meetings held throughout the year among ministers, senior officials, and civil societies. A G20 Leaders’ declaration will be adopted at the conclusion of the G20 Summit, stating Leaders’ commitment towards the priorities discussed and agreed upon during the respective ministerial and working group meetings. The next G20 presidency is going to be taken over by Brazil in 2024, followed by South Africa in 2025.