A positive chapter has begun in finance for poor countries. Yet progress remains tentative. This book looks at how to make international finance better serve the needs of poor countries and poor people. It contains contributions by economists and political scientists who have been at the centre...

Japan has an impressive history when it comes to aid, industrial policy, and infrastructure development, both as a country that saw meteoric development of its own, and as a country that has been one of the world's largest donors for decades. Looking towards an uncertain future in which...

How can the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) be made a reality by 2015? If the MDGs are to halve global poverty and significantly improve conditions for the world's poor on schedule, it is essential to put the requisite funding in place. This is an up-to-date overview of the funding proposals...

For much of the last 30 years the global economy has not worked well for most poor countries or for most poor people. But there are now grounds for optimism. Presently, global liquidity is ample, pushing investors into parts of the world they previously avoided, and private investment is rising....

This paper presents a synopsis of the contextual conditions, factors and challenges under which the recent evolution of tax systems has taken place over the past three decades. The paper gives especial emphasis to the role of natural endowments, political economy, social structure and history,...