The United Nations Development Programme and System / Stephen Browne.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Foreword / Craig Murphy -- The origins of UNDP -- The 1980s and 1990s -- UNDP in the twenty-first century -- Performance and results -- The future of the UN development system.

This volume provides a short and accessible introduction to the organization that serves as the primary coordinator of the work of the UN system throughout the developing world {u2013}the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The book: Traces the origins and evolution of UNDP, outlining how a central UN funding mechanism and field network developed into a more comprehensive development agency. Evaluates the UNDP{u2019}s performance and results, both in its role as system coordinator and as a development organization in its own right. Considers the return of the UNDP to a more central role within the UN development system, in order to review the successive attempts at UN development system reform, the reasons for failure and the future possibilities for a more effective system with the UNDP at the centre. Offering a clear, comprehensive overview and analysis of the organization, this work will be of great interest to students and scholars of development studies, international organizations and international relations.