The G-20 and International Economic Cooperation: Issues for U.S. Congress

Rebecca M. Nelson | Congressional Research Service | 2010-08-10

This report provides an overview of the G-20's activities and an examination of the organization's successes and challenges within the context of U.S. participation. From the document's summary: "As the G-20 adapts to its new role as the premier forum for international cooperation, the effectiveness of the G-20 moving forward is being debated. Some anticipate that the G-20 will be an effective steering body in the global economy, pointing to its success in coordinating countries and international organizations at the height of the financial crisis. Others are more pessimistic about the G-20’s effectiveness in future summits, suggesting that the G-20 as a group is too heterogeneous to achieve real coordination. Still others suggest a middle ground, that the G-20 will be effective in some instances but not others."