The G20 leaders summit will be held virtually on November 21 and November 22, Saudi Arabia said, as the Covid-19 pandemic thwarted Riyadh's hopes of hosting the gathering in the kingdom to boost its international standing.

Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and a leading US ally, took over the G20 presidency at a time of heavy global criticism of its human rights record after the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and of the Yemen war.

Riyadh has sought to turn attention to reforms launched by de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to open up the kingdom and diversify its economy, according to Reuters. King Salman, who had surgery in July, will chair the November summit, a G20 Saudi secretariat statement said.