UN chief urges G20 to remember world's poor

UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon on Thursday urged G20 leaders not to ignore the world's poor when they meet this weekend to discuss the global financial crisis.

Ban, who will be attending the G20 summit in Washington, said the grouping should also discuss other global issues such as climate change.

"The poorest and most vulnerable everywhere, but particularly in the developing countries, will be the most affected by such a major growth slowdown," he wrote in an open letter to the grouping.

"We need most of all to join forces to take immediate action to prevent the financial crisis from becoming a human tragedy."

"This crisis also shows us how interdependent we have all become," Ban wrote.

"This is true for climate change ... It is true for financial markets, food, energy, trade, employment and of course also for threats outside the narrow economic realm, such as infectious disease."

The summit on Saturday of leaders from the 20 richest economies and emerging heavyweights will discuss strengthening global financial architecture in the wake of the worst crisis in the sector for generations.

The Group of 20 accounts for 85 percent of the world economy and about two-thirds of the world's population.