The Politics and Economics of Britain's Foreign Aid: The Pergau Dam Affair

February 8, 2013
7:15 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. EST
Location: Intercultural Center (ICC) 700 (MSFS Conference Room) Map

The United Kingdom's funding of the Pergau hydroelectric project in Malaysia in the early 1990s created a political storm in the United Kingdom and Malaysia and had a lasting impact on subsequent aid policies. In a new book, The Politics and Economics of Britain's Foreign Aid: The Pergau Dam Affair, Sir Tim Lankester offers an ex post political and economic evaluation of the project—the largest and most controversial project in the history of British aid.

Lankester, who was permanent secretary of the U.K. Overseas Development Administration at the time, offered an insider's perspective of the politics, the individuals, and the decisions that helped to shape this important period in British development assistance. He also discussed broader insights and lessons on governance, accountability and aid policy that are relevant to this day.

This event was sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Global Human Development Program, School of Foreign Service, and the World Faiths Development Dialogue.

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The Politics and Economics of Britain's Foreign Aid: The Pergau Dam Affair

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About Timothy Lankester

Sir Timothy Lankester is chairman of trustees at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London University. He is also a member of the joint advisory board of the Georgetown University in Qatar, and an advisor on the Asia-Pacific region for the consulting firm, Oxford Analytica. He previously served as the president of Corpus Christi College at Oxford University and director of the School of Oriental and African Studies in the University of London. Prior to 1996 he worked at the World Bank and in the British Civil Service. He was private secretary to Prime Ministers Callaghan and Thatcher, and served as executive director on the boards of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. He was permanent secretary of Britain’s international aid ministry, and has lectured and published on aid and development issues.

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