GENEVA: Undoubtedly, says Marcello Malentacchi, IMF general secretary, in his opinion column published today (May 28), what will be absent from the agenda of the G-8 Summit on June 1-3, and which needs discussion but within the framework of the UN, are fundamental issues such as:

• writing off the huge external debt of developing countries;
• introduction of a special tax on speculative financial transactions;
• job creation for the many millions of jobless;
• reform of international financial institutions.

These are issues to tackle if the G-8 leaders are serious about solving the problems afflicting most of the world's population. Read the full text of the IMF general secretary's opinion under the associated link.