Download the slides from this event here.
About the Speech:
In his speech, Dr Kharas addressed the future of development in an uncertain world through five lenses: (i) people livng in poverty in fragile states, which he describes as the new development frontier; (ii) the shrinking size of the overall investment needed to close the poverty gap; (iii) cooperation of middle-income countries in tackling global challenges such as climate change and migration; (iv) competitive engagement with China; (v) and the realistic expectations for private sector mobilisation for development. Finally, Dr Kharas argued that aid agencies need to adapt to the changing world and that the old narrative of celebrating the huge gains in poverty reduction will not long hold up to the public scrutiny of how taxes are used for international development.
About the Speaker:
Dr Homi Kharas is the Interim Vice President and Director of the Global Economy and Development program in the Brookings Institution. In that capacity, Dr Kharas studies policies and trends influencing developing countries, including aid to poor countries, the emergence of the middle class, and global governance and the G-20. He has served as the lead author and executive secretary of the secretariat supporting the High Level Panel advising the U.N. Secretary General on the post-2015 development agenda (2012-2013).
Prior to joining Brookings, Dr Kharas spent twenty-six years at the World Bank, serving for seven years as Chief Economist for the World Bank’s East Asia and Pacific region and Director for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, Finance and Private Sector Development, responsible for the Bank’s advice on structural and economic policies, fiscal issues, debt, trade, governance and financial markets.
