BUENOS AIRES, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Argentina's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship Felipe Sola on Tuesday urged the Group of Twenty (G20) to strengthen global cooperation and multilateralism in response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Addressing a virtual meeting of G20 trade and investment ministers convened by Saudi Arabia, which is chairing the group this year, Sola stressed the "imperative need to promote international cooperation and multilateralism" to overcome the health and economic impacts of the pandemic.

"The world today needs the spirit of collaboration that has accompanied the G20 since its inception: Argentina is ready to continue working actively with all members to continue promoting free, open and equitable trade," said Sola, according to a statement from his ministry.

To that end, he highlighted the importance of "reaffirming the rules-based multilateral trading system as a guarantor of the predictability and transparency of trade flows."

Sola also spotlighted the importance of having equitable access to medical treatments against COVID-19 and mentioned Argentina's production, in conjunction with Mexico, of a vaccine developed by the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and Britain's Oxford University, for distribution in Latin America.

"It will be available in Latin America in the first quarter of 2021 at an affordable price, so as not to leave anyone behind," said Sola.