EXPLAINER: What’s so big about the G20 besides economies?

By FRANCES D’EMILIO
Associated Press

ROME (AP) — The G-20, whose annual summit plays out in Rome this weekend, has morphed from its creation in the 1990s as an international group to grapple with financial crises into a forum facing such pressing problems as worldwide vaccine access and climate change. Whether its structure is still suitable to helping to respond to the evolving needs of our times will be put to a test with its first in-presence summit since the COVID-19 pandemic. The grouping accounts for 60% of the planet’s population. But only one nation from Africa, a continent critically affected by health crises and climate change, is part of the G-20 fold.