Columbia International Affairs Online: Working Papers

CIAO DATE: 01/2014

Development and the G20

Mike Callaghan Am, Annmaree O’Keeffe AM, Robin Davies, Susan Harris Rimmer, Steve Price-Thomas, Sabina Curatolo, Julia Newton-Howes Michelle Lettie

July 2013

Lowy Institute for International Policy

Abstract

Development is a key component of the G20, but there are concerns over the effectiveness of the current development agenda. The criticism includes that the development agenda is too diffuse and mostly distant to the G20’s main activities. But the G20 development agenda has made progress in some important areas, including increasing the resources of the international financial institutions, infrastructure, food security, financial inclusion and reducing the cost of remittances. However development and global economic issues cannot be treated in isolation; development must be ‘mainstreamed’ and clearly seen as part of the G20’s core agenda. To the extent that Australia can help strengthen the G20 when it assumes the chair in 2014, and make tangible progress in such areas as - economic growth, financial regulation, trade, financial inclusion, infrastructure and climate change financing – it can make a significant contribution to promoting development and reducing poverty.