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Seamless trade and transport connectivity in Asia and the Pacific : Regional cooperation in the context of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Get PDFThe Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused severe strain in international trade worldwide and in Asia and the Pacific, highlighting the need for more resilient and efficient cross-border transport and trade connectivity, including via greater regional cooperation in legal and technical and operational efforts.
Most countries have managed to maintain a critical mass of freight flows. Cross-border trade of goods has continued through most borders and along most regional transport corridors. Faced with the pandemic, many countries have intensified their digitalization and facilitation efforts. However, additional health and other requirements, as well as the consequences of containment measures, often implied additional costs and delays in cross-border operations. This was amplified by pre-existing connectivity challenges in Asia and the Pacific. In this context, a coordinated regional response would be more cost-effective and impactful, especially in case of a prolonged crisis. Regional cooperation could focus on risk sharing, early responses and rapid alert mechanisms, which will help maintain the predictability of trade and transport of key supplies in times of crisis.
“Streamline, harmonize and digitalize” could be considered as the guiding principles of the trade and transport response during the pandemic and in its aftermath. The existing cooperation mechanisms for transport and trade connectivity in Asia and the Pacific should be mobilized to provide stronger momentum to facilitation, harmonization and digitalization of cross-border trade and transport. This includes the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific and the intergovernmental agreements on the Asian Highway and the Trans-Asian Railway Networks. Complementing this, regional coordination in times of crises can also be institutionalized in future negotiations of regional, subregional and bilateral trade and transport agreements
Engaging with development partners to stand-up COVID-19 rapid assessment surveys : five tips for National Statistics Offices
Get PDFThe COVID-19 crisis has generated a lot of interest from development partners and donors around the world assisting developing economies with understanding the impacts of the pandemic to assist in the recovery process. But what happens when all this best-intentioned support is not well coordinated and nationally led? Are development partners helping to build back better? In this Stats Brief, five tips are presented to empower and enable National Statistics Offices to lead the development of and deliver innovative statistical products and services such as rapid assessment surveys of the socio-economic impact of COVID-19. This Stat Brief is issued without formal editing. It is prepared by Chris Ryan, Statistician, ESCAP Pacific Office with the support of Gemma Van Halderen, ESCAP Statistics Division, Kristen Himelein, World Bank, Tite Habiyakare, Elisa Benes and Peter Buwembo from the ILO, Jayachandran Vasudevan, UNICEF, Sara Duerto Valero and Cecilia Tinonin from UN Women Asia Pacific, and David Abbott and Mike Sharp from the Pacific Community (SPC).Views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect ESCAP or any UN agency
Trade facilitation in times of pandemic : practices from South and South West Asia
Get PDFThe world and regional economies have been hit hard by the COVID-19 crisis. The combined effects of the pandemic and global and national lockdowns have caused havoc in the countries of South and South-West Asia (SSWA), with their trade severely impacted. This paper investigates the subregion’s experience implementing trade facilitation measures in the times of COVID-19. The paper indicates that the SSWA countries have achieved remarkable progress in trade facilitation, especially as the COVID-19 crisis progressed. Although the policy responses in the initial months of the outbreak appeared to be fragmented and lacked coherence, countries in SSWA have shown convergence toward simplification of trade procedures, and enhanced transport and logistics and digital trade facilitation. While these measures have helped the SSWA countries secure supply of essential goods and services, some have simultaneously enforced stringent protection measures which represent a risk. The responses to the COVID-19 crisis suggest a greater scope of regional cooperation in the subregion. A cross-border regional protocol may strengthen the preparedness for future pandemics or similar disasters in future. As the current pandemic recedes, there are other opportunities such as in trade finance, cross-border e-commerce, and innovative application of emerging technologies, among others. Digitalizing the trade processes in SSWA, including by signing on to the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific, would be the next step toward the needed paperless trade environment
Value chain development for deeper integration of East Asia and Latin America
Get PDFThis paper uses new data from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its partners, including the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), to track the importance of trade within global value chains in East Asia and Latin America. The analysis shows that while value chain trade is important within the overall trade landscape, it takes place to a significant extent within a traditional paradigm in which Latin America most often supplies raw materials, and East Asia supplies manufactured goods. The pattern is not uniform, but there are important elements of this dynamic at play. While experiences differ significantly across countries and sectors, there is a generally a closer degree of GVC integration between East and South-East Asia than between East Asia and Latin America. Nonetheless, GVC integration between Latin America and South-East Asia in agriculture, mining and service sectors shows promise, with the former supplying inputs used in the latter’s export production. Trade costs are likely an important part of the explanation, so further attention to policies like regulatory cooperation in services sectors, as well as trade facilitation, and standards and conformance, would be ways to help promote further integration even in the absence of a comprehensive and broad-based liberalization agreement
Maximizing benefits of Mekong value chains for SMEs
No full textHome to 326 million culturally homogenous people, the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) offers immense opportunities for SMEs to participate, co-create and co-strengthen regional value chains. The countries within this subregion may also benefit from increased employment and output, leading to more inclusive and sustainable development. With SMEs driving growth, the economies of this subregion would be less vulnerable to economic shocks and uncertainties, and countries would benefit from an emerging entrepreneurship culture. Given this, it is imperative for the governments of the subregion delve into meaningful discussions and debates – collectively and individually within governments – to create an enabling business environment through appropriate policies, programs, institutions, and infrastructural support to facilitate SMEs’ participation in the global and regional value chains.
The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) conducted this study focused on strengthening SME capacity building and developing better enabling business environments for SMEs’ effective participation in regional and global value chains. This book discusses different industrial policies and strategies in practice and closely examines four GMS industries, namely garments and textile, agro-processing, consumer electronics, and solar photovoltaic industry. The book also proposes a 10-point policy recommendation involving targeted SME development, market and value chain development, and national capacity enhancement and regional integration. The book is expected to benefit multiple stakeholders, including, but not limited to, the policy makers and the professionals involved in market and value chain development for SMEs of the region, and potentially beyond
Asia and the Pacific SDG progress report 2020
Get PDFThis report analyses trends as well as data availability for monitoring progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Asia and the Pacific and its five subregions. It assesses gaps which must be closed to achieve the goals by 2030. This assessment is designed to ensure the region’s actions remain on target, shortcomings are addressed as they arise, and all interested parties remain engaged. It is an invaluable resource for all stakeholders involved in prioritization, planning, implementation and follow-up of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific.
Key findings:
Part I - Regional Progress
The Asia-Pacific region needs to accelerate its progress on all 17 SDGs.
There is reason for hope the region can accelerate progress on several targets.
Only 42 per cent of the SDG indicators are available for assessing progress in the region.
(Read Part I)
Part II - Subregional Progress
Obstacles to progress differ across subregions.
Cooperation and exchange among subregions can accelerate progress toward the goals.
(Read Part II)
Part III - Strengthening National Statistical Systems for the 2030 Agenda
Lack of effective communication of statistics and insufficient demand for indicators are two sides of the same coin that undermine the evidence-base for monitoring progress on the SDGs.
(Read Part III)
Annexes
Annex 1 – Figures on SDG progress across Asia and the Pacific by subregion
Annex 2 – Technical notes
Annex 3 – Table of indicators selected for SDG progress assessment
Annex 4 – List of countries in the Asia-Pacific region and subregions
Annex 5 – Indicators for monitoring the declaration on Navigating Policy with Data to Leave No One Behin
Policy guidelines for supporting women-owned micro, small and medium enterprises (WMSMEs) affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Kingdom of Cambodia
No full textThe policy guidelines prepared jointly by UN ESCAP and Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation in Cambodia provides insights into the preliminary impact of COVID-19 on women owned micro, small and medium enterprises in Cambodia. The paper also outlines some practical policy recommendations for the Government to consider in addressing the pandemic
Assessment of urban transport and impacts of COVID-19 on mobility : data collection guideline
No full textThe Covid-19 pandemic has brought the world to a virtual halt. The mobility systems, especially public transport systems, have suffered due to loss or/and drop in ridership. At this point, as a part of SUTI-2020, it is decided to include an assessment of the transport situation during COVID-19 and the city’s responses during and post-COVID19 period as a separate section in the report. The guideline also incorporates elements to be considered for assessment of impacts of COVID-19 on urban mobility
Sustainable food systems and nutrition healthy dietary patterns
Get PDFSome of the essential transformations needed to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are elaborated in the Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) 2019i and the political declaration of the high-level political forum 2019. These transformations are mutually reinforcing and strongly linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report identifies six entry points and four levers to accelerate progress across all 17 SDGs at the global level,1 one of them being Food Systems and Nutrition Patterns
Regional power grid connectivity for sustainable development in North-East Asia : policies and strategies
Get PDFProposals to interlink the power grids of the countries of North-East Asia stretch back to at least the early 1990s. Since then, multiple shifts in the energy landscape at the global, regional and national levels have taken place, creating a number of drivers for increased cooperation to develop regional power grids. Among the most profound shifts are the rising cost competitiveness of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar PV; cost and efficiency improvements in long-distance transmission technologies; the establishment of relevant regional and intercontinental integration projects; and the pressing need to decarbonize the energy sector, in line with the commitments made under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
This report examines the opportunity to enhance cross-border power grid connectivity in North-East Asia. Based on a comprehensive literature review of nearly 130 studies and contributions by national experts, this report presents policymakers and other stakeholders with an overview of the potential benefits of regional power grid interconnection, with a focus on sustainability. It also describes potential challenges that will need to be addressed to ensure the success of integration efforts and to better link these efforts to the transition to low-carbon power systems. Finally, the report proposes a set of recommendations designed to guide and facilitate cooperation between the Governments of North-East Asia and other stakeholders to advance the process of regional power system integration.</p