Standing in the lobby of a Downtown hotel, a key adviser to the U.S. delegation to the G-20 Summit promised an array of religious leaders that he would carry their concern for the poor into the economic conclave.
“We value your input and we know you hold us accountable,” said Michael Froman, dubbed the “sherpa,” after Himalayan mountain guides, because he leads the way to the summit. He is a deputy national security adviser specializing in global economics. “I appreciate your prayers. We will need them. This summit is about fixing financial systems … but also about addressing the needs of the most vulnerable.”
He cautioned the 30 religious leaders against expecting major new initiatives. He expects to focus on fixing “gaps in the infrastructure of how nations deal with crises,” he said. “I hope you will see that this is a meeting that advances the agenda we jointly care about. But it is one step in an ongoing crisis.”