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Frontier ICTs for sustainable development for digital leaders : submodule A : artificial intelligence
No full textAI technologies are rapidly growing and expanding across most industries and geographies. Thus, it is important to have a common and shared understanding of what is meant by AI, to know how AI can influence the Sustainable Development Goals, and to be aware of various risks and challenges leading to AI adoption.
Such knowledge, combined with insights from existing national AI strategies and successful use cases, will be instrumental in establishing the necessary knowledge base for governments and public organizations that wish to incorporate AI or establish AI strategies and policies.</p
Attracting private finance to transmission in the Asia-Pacific region
Get PDFThe 'Attracting private finance to transmission in the Asia-Pacific Region' working paper examines different models that can be employed to enable financing in the transmission system. The paper looks at the following six models, where five out of six models revolve around bringing private capital into the transmission system:
- Public ownership- Private ownership- Whole of grid concessions- Independent Power Transmission- Merchant Power Transmission- Financial ownership
The paper concludes with a set of recommendations to aid countries as they seek to make an informed decision on the type of capital to attract and to ensure adequate development of the transmission system. The recommendations are summarized as follows:
- Review models and consider applicability- Undertake necessary adaptations to power sector- Work with FDI’s to ensure appropriate finance- Ensure holistic power sector planning- Ensure transparency in investment decisions
In conclusion, the type of model to secure adequate finance to develop the transmission system should be a national decision, through for cross-border transmission development, coordination on ownership structure can in some cases be needed. This paper sets forward a set of models that governments can utilize to attract sufficient finance at low cost. The paper also highlights some of the key requirements the models have as well as considerations that may help governments evaluate the applicability of the different models in the national and cross-border context.</p
How to design child benefits
Get PDFThis is the tenth in a series of primers developed to support policymakers and practitioners in Asia and the Pacific in their efforts to strengthen social protection. The primer highlights the role of child benefits to support families and the implications of different design features that impact on this. The first primer in this series explores why social protection is needed; the second explains how to design inclusive and robust social protection systems and focuses on tax-financed income security; the third focuses on its effective implementation; the fourth discusses options for financing; the fifth highlights key concepts and schemes required for disability-inclusive social protection; the sixth illustrates how the design of social protection systems can either exacerbate or mitigate the disadvantage women; the seventh highlights key design elements in developing an inclusive and comprehensive old age pension system; the eighth outlines key strategies to ensure the right to maternity leave and maternity cash benefits; and the ninth clarifies understanding around universality in social protection, what it entails and how it can be operationalised.</p
Assessment of the Committee on Transport, Seventh session, 23-25 November 2022
No full textThe seventh session of the Committee on Transport took place at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok from 23 to 25 November 2022. The Committee session was held in a hybrid format including in-person participation and virtually via videoconference. An online questionnaire assessing the relevance, effectiveness and quality of the meeting was conducted.1 The main purpose of the assessment is to support the secretariat’s ongoing efforts to improve its servicing of the session. The Committee discussed matters of strategic importance to regional transport development, regional cooperation and the formulation of regional policies to advance sustainable transport development in the region in line with existing regional and global mandates such as the newly adopted Regional Action Programme for Sustainable Transport Development in Asia and the Pacific (2022-2026), related ESCAP resolutions and the Decade of Action for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, among others. The Committee also provided participants with a forum to exchange views and discuss policies to advance economic, environmental and social sustainability of the transport sector in the region. </p
Regional Digital Trade Integration Index (RDTII) (version 1 ) : a guide
Get PDFThe regional digital trade integration index (RDTII) results from cooperation among several United Nations Regional Commissions. Its development was initiated at ESCAP in 2020 as part of developing a broader Digital and Sustainable Regional Integration Index (DigiSRII) under a joint UN Development Account project on measuring regional integration led by ECA and jointly implemented with ESCWA. Implementation of RDTII was pilot-tested in Asia and the Pacific and subsequently extended to several economies in the ECA and ECLAC regions.
This guide is based on the methodology and indicators of RDTII Version 1.0. It provides essential explanations of the structure and rationale of RDTII 1.0 and guidance on data collection and sources. It is expected to give a guideline to those involved in collecting regulatory data to analyze the digital trade regulatory environment based on the RDTII 1.0 framework. It is useful also for those who will use the index and related indicators for policy analysis and drafting. The RDTII framework, a multi- dimensional cross-economy index of digital trade regulatory integration, is expected to require continuous adjustments as the challenges and policy trade-offs associated with fast-growing digital trade and the global digital economy are better understood. As such, this guide may be considered a living document to be updated as United Nations Regional Commissions and other partners work together further to improve the index and the data collection process.
Acknowledgements.......................................... ....................................................iv Preface ............................... .....................................................................v List of boxes................................................ vii List of figures..............vii Chapter 1 Conceptual framework .......................................................................................................1 Background..........................................................................................................................................2 Lowering regulatory compliance costs and enhancing interoperability as the basis for regional digital trade integration.......................................................................2 The Regional Digital Trade Integration Index (RDTII): Indicating the regulatory costs of doing regional business digitally ..........................................................................................................3 Chapter 2 RDTII framework ...............................................................................................6 Scoring methodology.............................................................................................7 Sources of regulatory measures...........................................................................................................8 Chapter 3 RDTII pillars........................................................................................10 Pillar 1. Tariffs and trade defence measures......................................................................................11 Pillar 2. Public procurement ..............................................................................................................15 Pillar 3. Restrictions on foreign investment ......................................................................................20 Pillar 4. Intellectual property rights policies......................................................................................24 Pillar 5. Telecommunications infrastructure and competition...........................................................29 Pillar 6. Cross-border data policies.............................................................................33 Pillar 7. Domestic data policies..................................................40 Pillar 8. Internet intermediary liability and content access....................................................46 Pillar 9. Non-technical NTMs....................................................................................51 Pillar 10. Technical standards and related procedures.......................................................................54 Pillar 11. Online sales and transactions...................................................................60 Chapter 4 Concluding remarks..................................................................................65 Annex I. Step-by-step guide to create data for indicators 1.1 and 1.2...........................................67 Annex II. ITA I and ITA II products.................................................................................................72 References..........................................................................................8
Strengthening women’s entrepreneurship in national micro, small and medium enterprise policies and action plans : toolkit for policymakers
No full textThe Policy Toolkit project was initiated by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) under the Catalyzing Women's Entrepreneurship (CWE) Programme, in partnership with the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (ACCMSME) to advocate women entrepreneur-centric policies and initiatives in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region and to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystems that foster women’s entrepreneurship.
The ultimate purpose of the Toolkit is to provide a framework and methodology for integrating women entrepreneur-centric policies and provisions in national micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) policies and action plans. It will assist policymakers, particularly from ministries and agencies responsible for MSME development in assessing the development of women’s entrepreneurship at the national level and through the completion of the self-assessment process in developing insight on actions to be taken to strengthen policy support and develop a positive ecosystem for women’s entrepreneurship.
Use of the Policy Toolkit will enable policymakers to establish a baseline and monitor longitudinal progress of initiatives targeting the advancement of women-owned-led MSMEs (WMSMEs). It will also lead to more gender-responsive development of the MSME sector and a greater contribution of women entrepreneurs and women-owned-led enterprises to the economy.
The self-assessment tool is intended for primary use by ministries and agencies responsible for MSMEs to ensure the gender perspective is incorporated into MSME policies and measures; reduce the gender gaps in entrepreneurial and MSME activities; and assess gender equality results in terms of the participation of women in business ownership and the scaling of their businesses. The self-assessment tool can also provide broader guidance and insight to regulatory bodies, and key stakeholder organizations and ecosystem members, such as financial institutions, business development service providers and business associations, including women entrepreneurs’ associations, regarding the key policies and measures required to advance women’s entrepreneurship in the country.Government of Canad
SDG 6 profile for North and Central Asia on clean water and sanitation
No full textThe sixth goal of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commits member States to ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for everybody. North and Central Asia (NCA) is particularly affected by water stress and struggles to achieve several SDG targets. While sanitation targets are often met in the region, the same does not hold for water targets, where ambitious actions are required. Governments need to increase water use efficiency and preserve water-related ecosystems, enhance transboundary cooperation, and avoid conflicts over the use of water resources. Progress is needed to safely treat domestic wastewater and ensure access to affordable drinking water for all. Finally, data collection capacities, together with transparency, should be improved since these are necessary to understand weaknesses in implementation and plan future actions</p