THE EXTENT OF change in conventional development models in recent decades is remarkable. In the 1960s and 1970s, government was considered to have the main role in progress towards development, By the 1990s, development was viewed as a common challenge to government, the private sector and civil society. At present, government is seen more as an `enabler’, an intermediary working with various agencies and organisations in different forms of partnership aimed at urban and regional development, in the attempt to alleviate poverty through collective action.

This book is a compilation of contributions from policy makers, practitioners and academics. . The first part, Urban Economics and the Local-Global Interface, focuses on cities as the engine of economic development and looks at the external relations of urban economies, as well as the diversity of activities within the spatial confines of a city. It covers such topics as competition and public policy; the advantages of cities in terms of human, financial capital, infrastructure and communication systems; the influence of local actors on economic prosperity, and approaches to supporting increased integration with globalized markets .

The second part, Local Government, Partnerships and Urban Development, looks at various approaches to local management and includes chapters on the Healthy Cities’ Program initiated by the WHO; decentralisation and participation in urban centres in Bolivia, and partnerships in dealing with solid waste management in Ghana and India. Part three, Livelihood, Rural-Urban Linkages and Regional Development, considers such themes as global homogenisation and local differentiation, the exclusion of people and localities, the social and economic relations within rural-urban linkages, the concept of sustainable livelihoods, and new approaches to regional development planning.

The last part, Urban Poverty Reduction: Mapping the Policy Arena, looks at policy and action on urban poverty. Contributors point to the need to move away from traditional anti-poverty policies to more flexible, diversified approaches. The constraints faced by aid agencies in tackling urban poverty are considered, and the diversity of options available to local governments for combating poverty are discussed, with an emphasis on the importance of strengthening the informal sector and improving urban services.