I am delighted at hearing the news of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2006 being awarded to Professor Yunus and the Grameen Bank. Prof Yunus, through his life and work, has transformed the ways in which poverty and the poor are viewed, and focused attention to reforming institutions and systems that exclude the poor. He has championed the cause of the poor by challenging all to question the logic of institutions, aid and development; and has argued powerfully and relentlessly for a vision of a poverty free world—a challenge in which all can and must play a role.

This award for Professor Yunus and the Grameen Bank acknowledges the importance of home grown solutions to defeating poverty. Civil society organizations have made tremendous contributions to Bangladesh's development, both economic and social, and have offered solutions to addressing poverty that have been replicated around the world. As a fellow development practitioner, I am therefore particularly happy that a civil society organization and its leader from Bangladesh have been recognized in this manner. I join all my colleagues at BRAC in congratulating Prof Muhammad Yunus, his organization and all the clients of Grameen Bank for this well-deserved award and for taking Bangladesh and all of us to new heights of recognition and inspiration. I am certain that this recognition for Professor Yunus and his work will act to energize us all in working towards a world free of poverty.

Fazle Hasan Abed
London

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