British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has appealed for what he called a "global bargain" to get the world out of the economic downturn.

Brown and Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi on Thursday discussed the need to help poor countries during the global economic crisis.

Brown will host a meeting of the Group of 20 advanced and developing nations in April designed to find solutions to the crisis.

"We are trying to build for that summit a global deal, a global bargain if you like, where each continent will make its contribution to the recovery of the world economy."

The talks with Berlusconi, whose country holds the G-8 presidency, were largely devoted to the financial meltdown.

Brown and Berlusconi also called for an increase in financial supervision and regulations.