(STRASBOURG) - The head of the anti-poverty group Action Aid urged the world's 20 largest economies, meeting in Washington Saturday, not to remain an exclusive club and open its doors to the poor.

"This is an exclusive club, people behind closed doors, talking about issues. But the people directly affected by the issues are absent," said Action Aid president Noerine Kaleeba.

"They completely shut the doors to listening to the voices that are coming from the ground," she told AFP, before the start of European development days events in Strasbourg, France.

"I am asking the G20 to be inclusive, when they meet to discuss such a critical point like the financial crisis they shoudn't meet as an exclusive club."

Representatives from the world's 20 largest economies were trying to outline steps to stimulate flagging global growth and prevent new financial upheaval.

• European development days - background

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