Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 10/2012

A Map for Strengthening the G20 Mutual Assessment Process

Kevin English, Xenia Menzies, Jacob Muirhead, Jennifer Prenger

September 2012

Centre for International Governance Innovation

Abstract

The 2007–2009 global financial crisis demonstrated that the world required a much stronger framework for cooperation on financial and economic issues. In September 2009, G20 heads of state responded to this need at the Pittsburgh G20 Summit with the “Framework for Strong, Sustainable and Balanced Growth.” The Mutual Assessment Process (MAP) was created to both monitor and support G20 countries in their follow-through on commitments made under the Framework. Although progress has been made, ongoing strains in the international economic system show that renewed commitment to the Framework and strengthened cooperation mechanisms are crucial to achieving the G20’s growth objectives. CIGI Junior Fellows Kevin English, Xenia Menzies, Jacob Muirhead and Jennifer Prenger identify five areas where changes would help to strengthen the MAP: increasing accountability; reinforcing G20 ownership of the MAP; institutional strengthening; improving analytical and economic modelling capacity; and building additional mechanisms for deeper policy trade-offs.