As the leaders of the world's industrial powers gather this week in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, their economies are starting to emerge from the shadow of the worst financial downturn since the Great Depression.
A year ago, global markets were in free fall as governments moved to prop them up, sometimes nationalizing financial institutions and automakers. At this year's Group of 20 summit, the leaders will begin looking at an exit strategy for the programs that were considered necessary, because this strategy seemed not to work.
"The Pittsburgh summit is an important opportunity to continue the hard work that we have done in confronting the global economic crisis and renewing prosperity for our people,"
"Together, we will review the progress we have made, assess what more needs to be done, and discuss what we can do together to lay the groundwork for balanced and sustainable economic growth", President Obama said in a statement ahead of the start of the two-day G-20 summit, which begins Thursday.
