It may seem easy to get countries to discuss global economic problems – after all, country authorities encounter each other at meeting after meeting. In spite of this frenetic activity, we have too few meetings where substantive dialogue, especially between big industrial countries and big emerging markets, can take place.

One reason many meetings are ineffective is that, in the interest of legitimacy and inclusiveness, a lot of countries are invited. But with many participants no real discussion takes place. Instead they deliver speeches.