Trudeau promises foreign aid for poor countries affected by COVID-19

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined other state leaders of the G20 Saturday to promise foreign aid and assistance to poorer nations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Canadian Press reports.

G20 leaders also discussed how to "build back better" and pave the way for an "inclusive, sustainable and resilient future."

The group vowed to ensure a fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, drugs and tests around the world while hinting at economic support in the post-pandemic world.

The promises have been outlined on the European Council's website and detailed in the G20 Riyadh Summit "Leaders' Declaration."

The declaration also states that rich countries will hold off on collecting debt payments from poorer states, countries whose economies have been slammed especially hard by the pandemic.

The Trudeau government's foreign aid spending increased by 4.9% to $6.4 billion in 2019, up from CAD$6.1 billion in 2018. In March of this year the Trudeau government promised $50 million to poorer nations to tackle affects of COVID-19, that funding was apart of a greater United Nations COVID-19 humanitarian response plan.