Earlier this month, Australia hosted the ninth G-20 summit of the greatest economic powers. It was after November 2008 summit in Washington that so many top leaders met on a platform. That fact testifies to Australia’s persuasive powers — to convince them to take part in an economic meeting half the way around the world. It also betrays a universal realization that the world economy is not well and the need to demonstrate determination to restore growth.

But how was it to Saudi Arabia? Crown Prince Salman, deputy premier and minister of defense, made the trip to Brisbane and was met with enthusiastic welcome, as Australia is very keen to develop trade and investment relations with the Kingdom. In addition to the summit, the crown prince held bilateral meetings on its sidelines with other leaders, including Australia’s Prime Minister Abbott, France’s President Hollande, Germany’s Chancellor Merkel, India’s Prime Minister Modi, Korea’s President Park, Singapore’s Prime Minister Long and UK Prime Minister Cameron.

By drawing attention in his remarks to the political turmoil and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, Crown Prince Salman made a clear link between peace in our region and global prosperity. Israel’s relentless attacks, Assad’s escalating crimes, and the unspeakable atrocities committed by so-called Islamic State (Daesh) have limited the Middle East’s contributions to the world economy; its ceaseless tragedies are a drain on the region’s and the world’s resources.

Although the G-20 of the world’s largest economies was established in 1999 to lukewarm reception, it gained prominence during the global financial crisis, as governments searched for ways to overcome the recession and were willing to try new medicines.

Heads of state and government began to meet under G-20’s umbrella only during the crisis. Former US President Bush hosted the first summit in Washington in November 2008. During the early years of the crisis, summits were held twice a year. Later, its early magic seemed to fade as the group became little more than a talkfest, with long communiqués with little actual implementation. This year was different. The communiqué was mercifully three pages instead of the usual 20-30 pages. It recognized that the world economy was sliding back into recession and action was needed. Soon after the summit Japan was reported to slip back into recession, drastically reversing earlier scenarios. Its triple-dip recession, the worsening euro zone slowdown and lackluster performance of the Chinese economy all point to the importance of the Brisbane consensus to boost global growth.

Before the summit, Prime Minister Abbott asserted that G-20 needed to make a “practical difference to the global economy.” As it concluded on Nov.15, he declared that it had delivered “real, practical outcomes.”

No doubt the summit’s recommendations addressed the most important global concerns, but were they as relevant to Saudi Arabia? I will list Brisbane outcomes most relevant to us.

First, global growth: With oil prices falling, Saudi Arabia is keenly interested in restoring global growth. Prices have slipped 25 percent since June on dampened prospect for economic growth and oil demand. G-20 leaders “set an ambitious goal to lift the G-20’s GDP by at least an additional two percent by 2018. Analysis by the IMF-OECD indicates that our commitments, if fully implemented, will deliver 2.1 percent. This will add more than $2 trillion to the global economy and create millions of jobs. Our measures to lift investment, increase trade and competition, and boost employment, along with our macroeconomic policies, will support development and inclusive growth, and help to reduce inequality and poverty.”

This promise, if kept, could help restore health to anemic oil markets.

Second, energy efficiency: The communiqué stated that, “Improving energy efficiency is a cost-effective way to help address the rising demands of sustainable growth and development, as well as energy access and security. It reduces costs for businesses and households. We have agreed an Action Plan for Voluntary Collaboration on Energy Efficiency, including new work on the efficiency and emissions performance of vehicles, particularly heavy-duty vehicles, networking devices, buildings, industrial processes, and electricity generation, as well as work on financing for energy efficiency. We reaffirm our commitment to rationalize and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption, recognizing the need to support the poor.”

The Saudi Center for Energy Efficiency has embarked on a most ambitious campaign to improve energy efficiency and fight waste. This G-20 commitment and especially the Action Plan to which it refers could be utilized to bolster that campaign.

Third, reducing female unemployment: The G-20 leaders agreed to “the goal of reducing the gap in participation rates between men and women in our countries by 25 percent by 2025, taking into account national circumstances, to bring more than 100 million women into the labor force, significantly increase global growth and reduce poverty and inequality.”

Saudi Arabia faces a severe gender gap in employment; women’s unemployment rate is about five times as high as men’s, and their participation rate is only a fraction of men’s.

Fourth, fighting corruption: G-20 leaders endorsed “the 2015-16 G-20 Anti-Corruption Action Plan that will support growth and resilience. Our actions are building cooperation and networks, including enhancing mutual legal assistance, recovery of the proceeds of corruption and denial of safe haven to corrupt officials. We commit to improve the transparency of the public and private sectors, and of beneficial ownership by implementing the G-20 High-Level Principles on Beneficial Ownership Transparency.”

Saudi Arabia is waging a most sustained war against corruption in public life and could use the support of its G-20 counterparts.

These are some G-20 outcomes most relevant to Saudi Arabia. Australia could have made a greater difference if it used the summit to broach new thinking about some unique challenges that Australia and Saudi Arabia both face. For example, economic diversification for both has been elusive. Unfortunately, there was little on this subject in the summit’s communiqué or its annexes.

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