A workshop launching two important new books.

Quality of Growth, Vinod Thomas, World Bank Institute
The book, through country examples from all over the world, shows how the poor suffer when the quality of growth is not considered in development. In particular it looks at implications for human welfare where there is:

• inequality in distribution of opportunities, especially education
• lack of concern for the sustainability of environment
• lack of structure for management of global financial risks
• corruption and inadequate regulatory governance framework

The book recommends action on all these issues and sees a greater participation by the private sector, NGOs and civil society in achieving quality growth.

'Growth can reduce poverty. But the strength of its influence depends crucially on the quality of the growth process, in terms of the participation of the poor, and of its sustainability and stability...... This book provides a lucid and structured synthesis of our current understanding of some of the key issues of development.' Nick Stern, Professor, London School of Economics (now Chief Economist, The World Bank)

Foreign Aid and Development, Finn Tarp, Routledge
Aid has worked in the past but can be made to work better in the future. This book offers important new research and will appeal to those working in economics, politics and development studies as well as to governmental and aid professionals.

'Here at last is a comprehensive, stimulating, balanced and up-to-date analysis of the current state of donor debates and disagreements over the roles, effectiveness and future of foreign aid. Its broad coverage and variety of authors, and its consistently constructive, even when critical, approaches should make it an obvious starting-point for all students and policy-makers embarking upon work in this sphere'. Gerry Helleiner.