ABU DHABI: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown yesterday said that US leadership is 'central' to restoring stability to the battered world economy, stressing the challenge facing the presidential candidates Barack Obama or John McCain.

Brown arrived here yesterday on a two-day visit after his stops in Riyadh and Doha to persuade the Gulf States to boost the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Speaking a day before the US presidential vote, Brown said "Even more international cooperation would be needed to counter financial turbulence in coming months."

The IMF has an emergency bailout fund worth $250 billion for sinking economies but Brown said this needs to be extended by hundreds of billions of dollars and wants Gulf States and China to help.

"The next stage of globalization will require even more international cooperation, with American leadership central to its success," Brown told business leaders at an oil conference in Abu Dhabi. "In the coming weeks and months, the whole world will want to work closely with America on a shared common agenda."

This would include boosting the world economy, working "to defeat protectionism in favor of free trade" and moving toward Middle East peace.

Brown last night met UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. Today he will meet Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai.

Brown, who has called on Saudi Arabia to provide money for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help during the crisis, said countries that make such contributions should be allowed greater say in IMF governance.

The global financial crisis has wiped $700 billion (Dh2.57 trillion) from bank assets, knocked trillions of dollars off stock markets, frozen lending, cut profits and sapped strength from world economic growth.

"I very much hope you and other Gulf states will be willing to contribute, with other countries, to join efforts to stop the financial crisis spreading by helping to boost the IMF fund for distressed economies," Brown said.

Brown also said that his country and an Abu Dhabi renewable energy company are to sign an agreement to cooperate on clean energy technologies.

"Today we will sign an MoU (memorandum of understanding) with Masdar to work to develop and deploy low carbon technology for energy." He said the deal would cover wind and solar energy as well as carbon capture and storage.

Last month, Abu Dhabi state-run Masdar said it was taking a 20 percent stake in the 1,000-megawatt London Array offshore wind farm project for an undisclosed sum.

Brown has also called for more stability in the oil market.

Brown's tour comes ahead of a meeting of G-20 international leaders, which both he and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah will attend in Washington on Nov. 15, when issues including IMF reform will be addressed.

More than 25 senior business leaders are accompanying him on a mission to attract further Gulf investment in British companies. Upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, he was welcomed at the airport by Gen. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al- Nahyan, Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al-Owais, minister of culture, youth and community development, and Edward Oakden, UK ambassador.

(With input from agencies)