The DAC Guidelines on Poverty Reduction, published in 2001, show that poverty has multiple and interlinked causes and dimensions: economic, human, political, socio-cultural, protective/ security. The work of POVNET since then has given priority to addressing strategies and policies in areas that contribute to pro-poor economic growth, with particular attention to private sector development, agriculture and infrastructure. POVNET has sought to build consensus on the key underpinnings of pro poor growth and to explore recent thinking on risk and vulnerability and ex ante poverty impact assessment. Insufficient, inadequate economic infrastructure is among the most pressing obstacles to achieving pro-poor growth. The need for increased investments in infrastructure and for making infrastructure management and maintenance more efficient is widely recognised. Infrastructure is now a priority on the international development agenda; it was a major issue at the September 2005 UN Millennium +5 Summit, as well as a central theme of the March 2005 report by the Commission for Africa. Donors are re-evaluating the priority infrastructure should have in their programmes. Source: Promoting Pro-Poor Growth - Infrastructure