UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon hosted a "retreat" for world leaders on Friday aimed at "converting intentions expressed at a Group of 20 summit in Washington this month" into concrete recommendations ahead of the next G-20 meeting in London in April.



However, he admitted that only 10 national leaders were among the 34 or 35 high-level delegates who turned up, and no conclusions were announced.



Even the heads of the IMF and Worldbank skipped the meeting, citing conflicting schedules. (More)



Ban said he still hopes the conference can come up with concrete plans as well as updating a 2002 Monterrey Consensus on aid to developing countries ahead of the next G-20 meeting in London in April.. (Full)