Enlarge image Chancellor Merkel met with leaders of international finance and economic organisations (© picture-alliance/ dpa) The heads of five of the world's most influential finance and economic organisations met in Berlin for talks on the global economy. The meeting spurred Chancellor Merkel towards an answer to the debt crisis.

OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria, WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, ILO Director General Guy Ryder, IMF Director Christine Lagarde and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim - when these five get together, they discuss the most significant international policies. It was the German government which in 2007, during its presidency of the G8 and European Union, suggested the leaders of these international finance and economic organizations regularly meet with heads of state, in order to bolster cooperation.

Enlarge image Economic growth is a priority (© picture-alliance/ dpa) The most pressing concerns are currently the debt crisis, high unemployment in many countries and global economic growth. According to a projection by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the global economy will grow by only 3.3 percent in 2012 and 3.6 percent in 2013.

Risks to the global economy are evident, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel after meeting with the five organisation heads in Berlin. "Economic growth is not where we would like it to be," Merkel stated - an important point, since growth is a key factor in managing the debt crisis.

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