to a panel discussion featuring a recent Oxford University Press publication
The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done
About It
Global poverty is actually falling quite rapidly for about eighty percent of the
world. The real crisis lies in a group of about 50 failing states, the bottom
billion. In The Bottom Billion, Collier contends that these fifty failed states
pose the central challenge of the developing world in the twenty-first century.
What the bottom billion need is a bold new plan supported by the Group of Eight
industrialized nations.
Monday, April 30, 2007 from 2:00- 3:30pm
World Bank J Building, J1- 050
(701 18th St. NW corner of 18th St. and Pennsylvania Ave.)
A reception will follow the presentation.
For non bank staff, please RSVP to infoshopevents@worldbank.org
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Chair
Francois Bourguignon
Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, Development Economics, World Bank
Francois Bourguignon is a specialist in the economics of development, public
policy, economic growth, income distribution and inequality. As the World Bank?s
Senior Vice President for Development Economics and Chief Economist since
October 2003, he provides intellectual leadership and direction to the Bank?s
overall development strategy and economic research agenda, at global, regional
and country levels.
Author
Paul Collier
Director, Center for the Study of African Economies, Oxford University
Paul Collier is Professor of Economics and Director of the Center for the School
of African Economies at Oxford University. Former director of research at the
World Bank and advisor to the British Government's Commission on Africa, he is
one of the world's leading experts on African economies, and is the author of
Breaking the Conflict Trap, a World Bank policy research report and, most
recently, The Bottom Billion, in which he offers hope for a group of about fifty
failing states whose problems defy traditional approaches to alleviating
poverty.
Commentary
Alan Gelb
Director, Development Policy, World Bank
Before assuming his current position as Director, Development Policy at the
World Bank in 2004, Alan Gelb was the Bank's Chief Economist for Africa. He is a
specialist on transition economies, financial systems, macroeconomic management,
commodity prices and the economics and political economy of oil-exporting
countries. He co-authored Can Africa Claim the 21st Century? an authoritative
study on African development.
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About the InfoShop
The InfoShop is the public information center and development bookstore of the
World Bank. It functions as the only publicly accessible space at headquarters,
providing internal and external audiences access to over 6000 titles published
by the World Bank, other international organizations, and other publishers on
development issues. It is a space where information and documents on World Bank
development operations, economic data, and strategies, can be read easily and
comfortably at workstations designed for public use. In addition, the InfoShop
hosts book launches, exhibits, seminars, receptions, and other community
outreach events, and also carries videos, posters, CD-ROMs, and gift items.
For more information, visit: www.worldbank.org/infoshop
