Created in 2006 under the leadership of France, Chile, Brazil and Spain, the Leading group is an informal network that currently brings together sixty-six States and international organizations, non governmental organizations (NGOs), local entities and private foundations dedicated to the eradication of poverty and the preservation of global public goods (health, education, food security, agricultural development, environment, climate, biodiversity, etc.).

Emblematic of the diversity of actors involved in the international development agenda, the Leading group seeks to embody the idea of ​​"global partnership" first mentionned in 2000 when establishing the Millennium Development Goals (MDG 8).

This partnership - consisting of a wide variety of public and private actors (both from the richer countries and developing countries) as well as local authorities and non-governmental organizations - is part of an inclusive appraoch of development beyond the traditional divisions between the North and the South. It aims at mobilizing of all global capital flows to respond to social, economic and environmental issues.

The primary objective of the Leading group is to create a unique forum of exchange of experiences and best practices on innovative solutions to achieve the global development goals.

Drawing on the expertise produced during the work and discussions conducted within the group (six expert reports have been published in the areas of financial transaction tax, education, health and safety food, agriculture and nutrition), the Leading group’s stakeholders seek to regularly update a review of the most promising initiatives of innovative finance and to promote political mobilization in favor of the instruments that have proven their feasibility and effectiveness in multiple pilot countries.