ESCAP Repository (United Nations ESCAP)
Not a member yet
8868 research outputs found
Sort by
Social protection and the informal economy : what do we know?
Get PDFThis paper takes stock of the literature that examines how the recent expansion of contributory and non-contributory social protection programmes in low- and middle-income countries in Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and Africa has influenced the conditions and incentive mechanisms that underpin work choices in the informal economy. In reviewing the literature, we adopt a systematic review methodology to identify studies, which through experimental, quasi-experimental, or qualitative research designs examine modalities and design features of these policies and how they impact the transition of formal (or informal) workers to the informal (or formal) economy. Overall, we find that the existing evidence base is too limited to draw definitive conclusions about ‘how’ the expansion of social protection systems is impacting the informal economy. While certain policy reforms to contributory social insurance schemes have produced desirable incentives for workers to formalise, other types of non-contributory programmes seem to discourage workers from entering the formal economy. These effects are nonetheless small and among certain populations. The study underscores the need for further research to better understand the conditions that seem to be detrimental for formalization and the mechanisms that underpin these effects; and how policy reforms could mitigate these unintended outcomes while procuring social justice and equity.</p
Report of the frontiers of inclusive innovation policy forum
Get PDFThe Frontiers of Inclusive Innovation Policy Forum was organized by ESCAP in collaboration with Digital Pathways at Oxford, the Inclusive Business Action Network (iBAN), the Honey Bee Network, and the Gujarat Grassroots Innovations Augmentation Network (GIAN). It gathered policymakers, experts and practitioners in digital transformation, inclusive innovation, and governance to explore best practices, remaining challenges, and further opportunities to promote inclusive technology and innovation policies.
This document provides an overview of the Frontiers of Inclusive Innovation Policy Forum. It contains an account of the forum with highlights from the policy exchanges, examples of good practices, key opportunity areas identified, and a collection of requests for support to promote inclusive innovation in policymaking
Results of the feedback questionnaire on the 9th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD)
Get PDFForeign Direct Investment and policies in the health sector in Asia and the Pacific 2022/2023
No full textThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exposed the cracks in the current health sector. From 2019 to 2020, investment in the health-care sector dropped by 45 per cent and continued to decline in 2021 to 34 per cent in the first three quarters of 2022.
Globally, greenfield investment in the health sector, from 2008 to 2021, fluctuated considerably, falling by 28 per cent between 2008 and 2012 and then increasing by 97 per cent to US 32 billion. It attracted more than twice the investment that went into the medical devices subsector, which was second (US 17 billion) and health-care subsectors (US 96 million worth of greenfield investments undertaken in the first quarter of 2022 in the pharmaceutical subsector. For medical devices, however, the first quarter of 2022 witnessed a sharp increase in investments, reaching US 55 million. Investment in the health-care subsector in 2021 was also more promising, with an uptick reaching close to US 60 million.
FDI flows through cross-border M&As have been on a constant rise since the early 2000s, with the total value of projects increasing from US 2 billion to US 10.6 billion from 2001 to 2020. Most M&A deals in the region took place in the pharmaceuticals subsector – close to 2,500 between 2010 and 2020. This was followed by the health-care subsector and then biotechnology.
Mergers and acquisitions in the Asia-Pacific region have been larger than greenfield investment for the health sector, where ownership of assets is valued, given the health sector’s strategic importance in most countries.
China was the largest receiver of inward greenfield FDI during 2008-2020, followed by India (US 14 billion), Singapore (US 5 billion).
Between 2008 and 2021, the United States was the largest investor in the Asia-Pacific region’s health sector, making up 35 per cent of all health-related greenfield investments in the region. Switzerland, Japan, Germany and France followed the United States as the largest sources of investment. Together, those five countries accounted for 66 per cent of all health-related investments in the Asia-Pacific region.
In terms of intraregional investors, firms from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and India led investments in the health-care sector in the region. In 2021, however, Asia-Pacific economies saw decreasing outward investment explained by the delayed COVID-19 wave, which hit the region in 2021.
Investment policies in the region have varied widely and have not all been promotion-related. Ten countries in the region, namely China, India, Indonesia, the Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Myanmar, impose some type of entry restrictions (out of the total 70 surveyed by UNCTAD for WIR 2021). In terms of subsectors, health-care facilities and medical services stand out as the most protected.
Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region have invested in the health sector as a core policy objective. Countries such as Sri Lanka, Brunei Darussalam, Bhutan, Timor-Leste and Thailand have prioritized FDI in the health sector.
Certain key challenges exist in the region, such as the limited capacity of countries in the region to attract the quantity and quality of investment needed. These include poor regional and domestic investment ecosystems, the lack of capital, technology, skills, low regulatory capacity, and poor infrastructure and related services.
Countries in Asia and the Pacific will need to create and improve an ecosystem of coherent policy and transparent regulatory institutions. In tandem, Governments will need to invest in skills development, technological capacity and health infrastructure relevant to achieving growth in the sector. Regional cooperation and political commitment to openness for investment will be crucial to helping economies build back better and harness the potential of FDI
The war in Ukraine : impacts, exposure and policy issues in Asia and the Pacific
Get PDFThis policy brief provides a provisional analysis of the multifaceted socioeconomic implications of the war in Ukraine on Asia-Pacific economies. There are three main messages. First, amid higher commodity prices, weaker global demand and heightened economic uncertainty, early indicators are pointing to notable adverse macroeconomic impacts of the war in Ukraine on the region.
Second, the analysis shows that several Asia-Pacific economies are at a relatively greater risk because their economic structure and conditions are more exposed to higher energy and food prices, smaller external financial inflows, rising financing costs and weaker business sentiments.
Third, Asia-Pacific policymakers can consider various policy measures to reduce the immediate impacts of the war and increase resilience to future economic and price shocks. ESCAP could support its member States in formulating and implementing such policies related to energy, trade and investment, transport and fiscal sectors. </p
Training manual on operational aspects of multimodal transport
No full textAcknowledging the importance of multimodality in enhancing the seamlessness of supply chain and logistics network for ESCAP member countries, including landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), the “Training Manual on Operational Aspects of Multimodal Transport” was developed as part of ESCAP Transport Division initiatives to improve technical knowledge of the transport and logistics sector and to support human resource development and capacity-building of ESCAP member countries.
The Manual can also be used as a self-study guide. It is also designed to assist instructors to deliver training modules in a structural and effective manner, allowing for comprehensive transmissions of technical knowledge. </p
Asia-Pacific tech monitor. Vol. 39, No. 4, Oct-Dec 2022
No full textSpecial Theme: Affordable and Sustainable Clean Energy Technologies: Emerging policies and business models This issue of Asia-Pacific Tech Monitor discusses opportunities to enhance the accessibility and afford- ability of sustainable energy options in the Asia-Pacific countries. It features articles on the promotion of energy resilience for renewable energy infrastructure and clean energy initiatives, programmes and network
