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Assessment of the impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs, and especially women-led MSMEs in Viet Nam
No full textCatalyzing Women’s Entrepreneurship : Creating a Gender-Responsive Entrepreneurial EcosystemThis report assesses the impact of COVID-19 on micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Viet Nam, with particular emphasis on women-led MSMEs. The report is broadly divided into three main parts. The first part provides the wider context for the study and covers: i) a brief profile of the MSME sector in Viet Nam, including the Government’s policies towards their development prior to COVID-19; ii) an overview of the impact on COVID-19 on Viet Nam’s economy at the time of writing (late July 2020), and the Government’s policy response pertaining to MSMEs.
The second part analyses the results emanating from an empirical survey that was conducted in June 2020, focusing on: i) the depth of impact of COVID-19 on MSMEs in Viet Nam; ii) MSMEs’ awareness of and access to the Government’s policies aimed at assisting enterprises facing difficulties caused by COVID-19; and iii) the business sector’s perceptions of the Government’s policies for assisting enterprises facing COVID-19.
Building on the analysis, the third part provides specific recommendations on additional support policies to help MSMEs in Viet Nam, and especially women-led MSMEs, both in terms of: i) immediate mitigation measures; and ii) positioning for the post-COVID-19 “new normal”.
Finally, there is a need to ensure that the COVID-19 crisis does not dislocate the steady progress that Viet Nam has made in developing its MSME sector. The task of steadily improving the business environment for MSMEs remains a work in progress that will extend beyond the current crisis. This pertains to MSMEs in general, and women-led enterprises in particular.</p
Fiscal stimulus for an inclusive, green and forward-looking recovery, leveraging the SDG agenda : an assessment for Pakistan
No full textThis study assesses Pakistan’s fiscal stimulus response to the COVID-19 pandemic, evaluating the degree to which it has managed to support a recovery, which is inclusive, green and forward-looking. In oreder to align recovery from COVID19 to SDGs agenda of the country, it is crucial for Pakistan to expand social protection, mainstream gender in all approaches and measures, roll-out a mass COVID-19 vaccination campaign, shift to green transport, cut fossil fuel subsidies and achieve an inclusive digital transformation. The study identifies the estimated costs and outlines financing options of these recommendations. Finally, the study simulates macroeconomic, social and environmental impacts of investment in people, green energy and digsital infarstrture on key macroeconomic indicators of the country which include public debt, GDP growth, (un)employment, poverty and CO2 emissions. Findings from these simulations, using the ESCAP’s Macroeconomic Model, support a strong economic and environment case for invesmnets recommended in this study
List of participants. Ad Hoc Session of the SPECA Governing Council
No full textThe Governing Council of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) will hold its 17th session on 18 November 2022 as hybrid session with in-person and online participation. Under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan, seven SPECA participating countries, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will discuss the outcomes of 2022 SPECA Economic Forum and adopt its conclusions and recommendations
Presentation. EBRD energy in Kazakhstan. 2022 SPECA Economic Forum
No full textTheme: Greener and Safer FutureSession 4: Sustainable Energy Transitio
Presentation. Prepare for deep structural change. 2022 SPECA Economic Forum
No full textTheme: Greener and Safer FutureSession 3: Sustainable economic transformati
List of participants. 2022 SPECA Economic Forum, and Seventeenth Session of the SPECA Governing Council
No full textThe Governing Council of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) will hold its 17th session on 18 November 2022 as hybrid session with in-person and online participation. Under the chairmanship of Kazakhstan, seven SPECA participating countries, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will discuss the outcomes of 2022 SPECA Economic Forum and adopt its conclusions and recommendations
Digital and sustainable trade facilitation in pacific Island Developing Economiess (PIDEs) 2021
Get PDFBased on the United NAtions Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade FacilitationThis report presents the results of the 2021 United Nations Global Survey on Digital and Sustainable Trade Facilitation for 11 Pacific Islands Developing Economies (PIDEs), reviewing the progress of trade facilitation reforms and it presents a detailed analysis based on 58 trade facilitation measures covering both binding and non-binding WTO TFA measures, and measures beyond the scope of WTO TFA.
The analysis presented in this report confirms that digital trade facilitation measures can result in significant benefits to the countries in the subregion. Full implementation of binding and non-binding WTO TFA measures could decrease trade costs by about 14.8%. In contrast, digital trade facilitation measures enabling the seamless electronic exchange of trade data and documents across borders will help significantly reduce trade costs by nearly 26% for PIDEs in a full implementation scenario.
In this regard, the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific (CPTA) could support countries in gradually moving to "less-paper" and then to paperless and Cross-border paperless trade by providing a dedicated, inclusive and capacity-building focused intergovernmental platform.
The report was jointly prepared by ESCAP, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) and World Bank Group (WB). For more reports, please visit untfsurvey.org</a
Asia-Pacific tech monitor. Vol. 39, No. 1, Jan-Mar 2022
No full textSpecial Theme: Technology transfer for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific
Technology is considered vital for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical need of innovative technologies to address the challenges across sectors. Emerging technologies, particularly the fourth industrial revolution technologies (e.g., Arti cial Intelligence, Internet of Things, Blockchain among others) offer innovative solutions in critical areas such as climate change, food and energy security, and resilient recovery of the industry.
Enabling policy environment is a prerequisite to facilitate transfer, adoption and diffusion of technologies and leapfrog especially in key emerging technology areas. The success at national (and subnational levels) depends on the capabilities to strengthen laws and regulations, R&D and innovation, institutional support systems, human resources, nance and entrepreneurship development.
The national technology policy frameworks also have to be aligned with related policies on trade, industry, investment and intellectual property rights. Key strategies for accelerating technology transfer include enhanced funding for R&D, incentives for development and adoption of innovative technologies, creating technology parks and supporting incubators among others. The micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) play an important role in creating jobs and business opportunities. Through adequate government support, the MSMEs can be the key actors in facilitating technology transfer through investment promotion and subcontracting arrangements to accelerate industrial production at the local level. Co-innovation (jointly innovate, manufacture and scale-up technologies) is considered as a useful mechanism for technology transfer to meet the demand for cleaner technologies for addressing climate change. Collaborative platforms to facilitate technology cooperation among member States can be critical to enhance technology transfer and commercialization.
This issue of Asia-Paci c Tech Monitor discusses enabling strategies and good practices to promote technology transfer for sustainable development in the Asia-Paci c countries.</p
Frontier ICTs for sustainable development for digital leaders : overview module
Get PDFFrontier ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) are recognized as an important means of achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the use, adoption, and adaptation of these technologies are not the same across countries.
Frontier ICTs such as Artificial intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are expected to have a greater impact on sustainable development and are also recognized as an important source of concerns for socio-economic development (especially policymaking) in developing countries.
The main objective of the module is to provide relevant information, cases, policy recommendations, and international cooperation agenda(s) to enable national digital
leaders to properly apply frontier ICTs in achieving the SDGs. Specifically, this module aims to:
1. Introduce the definition, scope, and features of frontier ICTs.
2. Examine the role and importance of frontier ICTs in achieving the SDGs.
3. Provide major challenges, barriers, and risks to be considered in developing and introducing frontier ICTs.
4. Provide the current status of policies related to each of the major technologies and global cases applied in the public sector.
5. Suggest policy recommendations and international cooperation measures for effective and efficient evelopment and application of frontier ICTs. This promotes a better understanding of the goals and direction for government policymakers to pursue