Sarkozy says he wants to overhaul the global financial system
Leaders from the G20 group of nations are meeting in Washington this weekend, to discuss the global financial crisis.
US President George Bush is hosting the meeting of the world's leading and developing economies in order to co-ordinate a global response to the crisis.
The World Today has brought together a group of ordinary people from around the world.
How are they coping with the economic downturn? What questions do they have for their leaders?
Participants include:
- Wazim Afzal, a software engineer from Pakistan
- Hans Alma, a yacht designer from the Netherlands
- Mohamed Raafat who works at the Arab African International Bank in Egypt
- Andrew Robeson, an ambulance driver who lives in Toulouse, France
- Ben Oji, a financial journalist from Aubuja, Nigeria
Listen Listen to the debate (13 mins 40 secs)
Click here for more BBC World Service coverage of the global credit crisis
First broadcast 14 November 2008
