The fifth ABCD-LAC focuses on decentralisation and the need to bring governments closer to the people in a rapidly changing global economic environment.

Crime and violence have emerged in recent years as major obstacles to development objectives in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. The paper explicates an agenda for future work that may assist LAC countries by discussing 'policy domains' where action is required. Such domains include reducing urban poverty, targeting efforts on 'at-risk' groups, building or rebuilding social capital, strengthening municipal capacity for combating crime and violence, and reforming the criminal justice system.

Global Development Finance (GDF), is the World Bank's annual review of recent trends in and prospects for financial flows to developing countries. It is an indispensable resource for governments, economists, investors, financial consultants, academics, bankers, and the entire development community. Vol I: Analysis and Outlook reviews recent trends in financial flows to developing countries. Also available as a two volume set, Vol II. Summary and Country Tables* includes comprehensive data for 138 countries, as well as summary data for regions and income groups.

Annotation. The 1995 conference continued the tradition of holding a roundtable discussion related to the subject of the forthcoming annual World Development Report (*), in this case, economies in transition. The conference addressed four themes: redistribution with growth; demographic change and development; aid and development; and fiscal decentralization. Among the articles included in the 1995 proceedings are: - Argentina's Miracle? From Hyperinflation to Sustained Growth. Domingo F. Cavallo and Guillermo Mondino - Inequality, Poverty, and Growth: Where Do We Stand? Albert Fishlow - Government Provision and Regulation of Economic Support in Old Age. Peter Diamond - Is Growth in Developing Countries Beneficial to Industrial Countries? Richard N. Cooper - Fiscal Federalism and Decentralization: A Review of Some Efficiency and Macroeconomic Aspects. Vito Tanzi.

Collects the papers which were presented at the Annual World Bank Conference on Development in Latin Aerica and the Caribbean that the topics were about financial system and economic development.

Annotation This 12th Annual World Bank Conference on Development Economics focuses mainly on four areas: new development thinking, crises and recovery, corporate governance and restructuring, and social security including public and private savings.

There is already a large and growing literature about the financial crises affecting several former star economic performers in Asia. Some analysis have focused on the mismanagement of the structure of foreign debt and economic policies, while others have focused on weaknesses ingrained in the domestic financial and banking sectors of these economies. This paper attempts to reconcile these alternative explanations in a simple framework, where the causes and symptoms of "financial vulnerability" are distinguished.

"Detailed discussion of reforms necessary to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty in the region. Reforms include equity market development, civil service reform, in health and education investment, labor market liberalization, and greater trade openness"--Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.

The 1998 Annual World Bank Conference on Development Economics, the tenth anniversary, was held at the Bank on April 20-21, 1998. The discussions focused on four areas of inquiry:1) the role of geography in countries'success, 2) the role of effective competition and regulatory policies, 3) the causes of financial crises and ways to prevent them, and 4) the effects of ethnic diversity on democracy and growth. The welcoming address by World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn, the opening remarks by chief Economist Joseph Stiglitz, and the tenth anniversary address by the International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Stanley Fischer all focused both on the role of the conference and on the changing perspectives for development.