Five leading developing countries -- China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico (G5) --spoke out on Wednesday afternoon in Italian city of L'Aquila on joint efforts to address global challenges.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, President of South Africa Jacob Zuma and Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo (L-R) pose for a group photo in L'Aquila, Italy, July 8, 2009. On behalf of Chinese President Hu Jintao, State Councilor Dai Bingguo attended the leaders' meeting of China, India, Brazil, South Africa and Mexico (G5) on Wednesday afternoon in the earthquake-torn Italian city of L'Aquila. [Xinhua]

Speaking to a leaders meeting of the G5 held in the earthquake-shaken town, Mexican President Felipe Calderon said the emerging economies should play even more important role in addressing the global issues.

They should unite and strike consensus so as to help developing and less-developed countries better resolve the challenges of climate change and food security, the president said.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said the G5 leaders' meeting is an important platform on addressing economic and financial problems and the G5 should make full play of the meeting to push the international community at large to better address the global financial crisis.

He called for tightening monitoring and regulation of international financial system and giving up trade protectionism, so as to drag the world economy out of crisis as soon as possible.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told the meeting that the consensus reached at the G20 Summit in London should be implemented.

The global financial crisis is closely relevant with food crisis and energy crisis, said the prime minister, who called for worldwide cooperation to address the challenges that run across the globe.

Jacob Zuma, president of South Africa, said the global financial crisis has brought more severe damage to the less-developed countries, citing Africa as the biggest victim.

Zuma warned that the crisis has crippled the social and economic development of his continent, and it has also put under shadow the United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

The president called for more worldwide measures resolving the crisis, eliminating trade protectionism, finalizing the Doha talks as soon as possible and increasing assistance to the developing and less-developed countries.

The leaders' meeting of the G5 was aimed to strike a common position for the outreach session of the G8 Summit, to be held later Thursday.

(Xinhua News Agency July 9, 2009)