Finance minister attends G20 meeting in Asheville, stresses economic resilience

Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan attended the G20 finance ministers meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, highlighting the need for economic resilience and sustainable growth. At the meeting, which took place on August 31 and September 1, 2026, Al-Jadaan emphasized the importance of diversifying production alternatives, maintaining adequate stockpiles, and preserving infrastructure with reserve capacity to defend against crises.

He stressed that growth barriers differ depending on each economy's circumstances and development, and that enhancing growth potential requires identifying and addressing specific challenges through tailored policies and reforms. In the Global Imbalances session, Al-Jadaan clarified that external surpluses and deficits are a result of varying economic structures and conditions between countries, rather than necessarily being imbalances.

He further explained that addressing these issues requires considering financial conditions and structural factors beyond trade flows. During the Sovereign Debt session, Al-Jadaan advocated for building a cooperative international system to tackle debt challenges by limiting unproductive debt and improving countries' abilities to manage debt sustainability.

He also engaged in a closed dialogue session on artificial intelligence with finance ministers, central bank governors, and private sector leaders, where they discussed the role of AI in innovation and economic growth. Al-Jadaan held bilateral talks with several counterparts and senior officials from international financial institutions, discussing global economic developments, financial issues, and opportunities to strengthen cooperation and share economic and financial expertise.