6 October 2011: Federal Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, and the Heads of five international agencies met in Berlin, Germany, on 6 October 2011, to call for coordinated policy action to restore confidence and improve sustainable and balanced growth and employment prospects ahead of the G20 Summit to be held in Cannes, France, on 3-4 November 2011.

The resulting joint statement was signed by Merkel, Angel Gurría, Secretary-General of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Pascal Lamy, Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Juan Somavia, Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick.

According to the statement, climate change and the protection of natural resources remains major challenges that could also become an opportunity for growth. Leaders stressed the need to: realize the potential for low-carbon development and green growth by targeted action in developed and developing countries; continue with the commitment of all international organizations to promote and work together on green growth; and ensure a successful Durban Climate Change Conference in late 2011 with a view to further promoting low-carbon development strategies. [ILO Press Release]