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SDG 2: Zero hunger
No full textFood systems face numerous multidimensional threats, including conflicts, climate change and price and supply shocks. These challenges hinder progress in human health and security, poverty, inequality, and development efforts, while worsening environmental degradation. Several structural issues in the region compound these challenges, such as growing instability in food systems, demographic shifts including ageing farmers, market concentration, barriers to adopting farmer-friendly technologies, limited access to finance, erosion of traditional knowledge and rapid urbanization affecting fragile urban food systems. The profile for SDG 2 was developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) with input from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). </p
Increasing domestic resource mobilization through the digitalization of tax administrations in Asia and the Pacific : progress, challenges, and opportunities
Get PDFAmid high debt servicing costs, low fiscal space and major financial requirements to implement the Sustainable Development Goals, the digitalization of tax administrations has much potential to enhance tax compliance, expand the tax base and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of domestic resource mobilization . This paper describes five major digital taxation tools – e-filing, e-invoicing, e-withholding taxes, point of sale systems, and track and trace systems – in Asia and the Pacific. Because most of these digital tools are very recent and in early stages of development, the paper relies mostly on case study evidence on the adoption of these new tools by selected tax administrations in the region. Through the case study evidence, the paper identifies challenges to scale up digital solutions and opportunities to address them. The latter include the adoption of a comprehensive framework of data security and privacy to protect taxpayer information, training programs and public awareness campaigns, stakeholder engagement in the design of software solutions, and special consideration and policies to include informal businesses.Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 51. Introduction .............................................................................................................. 62. E-filing ........................................................................................................................ 9Case study 1: India - innovations in tax e-filing .......................................................... 113. E-invoicing .............................................................................................................. 13Case study 2: Singapore - successful implementation of the peppol e-invoicing network ....................................................................................................................... 144. E-withholding tax systems ...................................................................................... 17Case study 3: Australia’s successful implementation of an e-withholding tax system. 175. Point of sale systems ........................................................................................... 20Case study 4: Republic of Korea - innovating tax collection through pos integration . 216. Track and trace systems ..................................................................................... 22Case study 5: Pakistan’s effective adoption of a track and trace system for enhanced tax compliance ........................................................................................... 227. Challenges .............................................................................................................. 248. Opportunities ......................................................................................................... 299. Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 34References .......................................................................................................................36</p
Space+ for our Earth and Future : leveraging the combined power of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and geospatial information through end-user engagement for sustainable development
No full textGeospatial data is becoming increasingly accessible, available, affordable and actionable (4As) to benefit people and inform practices, processes and policies (4Ps). The rise and integration of 4IR technologies is one of the main drivers of this development. Across the Asia-Pacific region, various countries have harnessed these technologies to augment their uses of geospatial applications for development objectives. A robust framework on end-user engagement and an enabling policy environment is needed for countries and communities to fully reap the socioeconomic benefits that 4IR technologies and geospatial tools, technologies and applications bring to attain sustainable development for all.</p
Applying the growth identification and facilitation framework to Nepal : 2023 update
No full textThis paper analyzes opportunities for growth in Nepal by applying the policy tool of New Structural Economics – Growth Identification and Facilitation Framework (GIFF). Drawing on firm level surveys, stakeholder interviews, and existing datasets, it aims to contribute to policy discussions on how to foster economic structural transformation in Nepal. The report argues that Nepal should seek to capture industrial transfer from China to establish a foothold in global value chains, create employment and catalyze structural transformation. The report identifies product-level advantages arising from preferential market access and sector-specific binding constraints, and proposes how to use Special Economic Zones to mitigate identified constraints to set Nepal on a path of structural transformation.</p
Strengthening financing for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific : a discussion of selected policy areas
No full textThis paper provides background information for the discussions at the High-Level Regional Consultation on Financing for Development in Asia and the Pacific, to be held in Bangkok and online on 17 and 18 December 2024.
This Issues Paper, “Strengthening Financing for Sustainable Development in Asia and the
Pacific”, is intended to support discussions at the Regional Consultation. It provides a
comprehensive overview of the challenges in the four areas highlighted and outlines potential
policy actions to bridge financing gaps for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.</p
Indonesia’s National Cooling Action Plan (I-NCAP)
No full textIndonesia’s National Cooling Action Plan (I-NCAP) represents a comprehensive roadmap to achieving sustainable cooling that reduces energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions, while providing services essential for both human well-being and economic development through the triple strategy of passive cooling, energy efficiency and phase down of climate warming refrigerants. It sets forth a strategic vision for a cooling sector that is resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable.
I-NACP provides a holistic view of current and future cooling energy demand across multiple cooling sectors, including space cooling, cold chains and mobile air conditioning. It presents a comprehensive set of interventions to reduce cooling demand, provide thermal comfort and buffer against the impacts of rising temperatures and increasing frequency of extreme heat events. Its implementation could reduce electricity consumption by 57% and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions by 55% in 2040, as compared to business-as-usual
Landscape study of inclusive business in agrifood systems in India
Get PDFThis landscape study maps out diverse IB models operating in agriculture and food processing in India and develops actionable insights to foster an enabling ecosystem for IB in the country.
This landscape study:
• Identifies and maps potential IB models in agrifood systems in India.
• Examines the key drivers for inclusive agribusinesses, and the supply and demand side challenges faced when scaling them.
• Profiles 20 successful IB models in the agrifood sector in India.
• Assesses the ecosystem in which IBs operate to identify gaps and opportunities to promote IB models – existing policies, strategies and programmes supporting IB models in agribusiness, the role of the private sector, the financing and impact investment ecosystem, and intermediary organizations.
• Provides recommendations to promote inclusive business in agrifood systems in India.</p
Evaluation of the Statistical Institute for Asia and the Pacific (SIAP)
Get PDFCommissioned by ESCAPThis is the final report for the 2024 Evaluation of United Nations Statistical Institute for Asia and the
Pacific (SIAP). The evaluation aims to provide the Commission with an impartial and reliable body of
evidence regarding SIAP’s performance. This will facilitate deliberations during the 81st session of the
Commission in April 2025 on SIAP’s continued relevance and financial viability. It seeks to provide
ESCAP secretariat with forward-looking actionable recommendations to improve the results
orientation and performance of SIAP. The specific evaluation objectives are:
i. To assess the results achieved and performance of SIAP using the standard evaluation criteria
of impact, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and gender/disability inclusion
mainstreaming.
ii. To determine ways to enhance the results-orientation of SIAP and identify specific outputs and
delivery modalities that are most relevant to the member States, based on needs expressed by
relevant stakeholders.
iii. To recommend actions for improving the results orientation and performance of the Institute.
The evaluation covers the management and implementation of the work programme of SIAP from
2020 to 2024, aligned with its Strategic Plan for that period. Through consultation with key
stakeholders, the evaluation focuses on the relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of SIAP. These
relate specifically to how SIAP plans and prioritizes work in the overall context of statistical capacity
development needs in the region, ESCAP’s mandate and programme of work, and the broader
operational realities faced by SIAP and ESCAP. The criteria of Impact and Sustainability are also
examined with limited focus given the scope of the evaluation. Gender equality and disability inclusion
are assessed as cross-cutting issues.
This evaluation comes at a time when data demand across the region continues to increase, including
for the monitoring of the 2030 Agenda but also given the rapid pace of change in the use of non traditional data sources. The demand for statistical capacity development is increasing in complexity
and scale. SIAP undertakes an annual needs assessment with National Statistical Offices (NSOs) to
determine training priorities. SIAP also responds to some country requests for training. A further
source of demand for courses comes from implementing partners. These are included in SIAP’s annual
workplan which is presented to the SIAP Governing Council for approval. SIAP has continued to play a
role in designing and delivering short-term training in priority areas of work identified by the ESCAP
Committee on Statistics. These priorities have included the regional, sub-regional and national-level
implementation of global strategies and programmes.
SIAP has delivered three main types of training programmes, with different and complementary
functions. These are: 1) Long-term training programmes organized in collaboration with the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and are of duration of up to three months; 2) Short-term
training programmes of up to one week have specific subject focus, such as SDG indicator(s) and the
use of big data for official statistics; 3) E-learning programmes relating to statistical business processes
or SDG Indicators. Facilitated e-learning courses include discussion forums where participants can
interact amongst themselves and ask questions to the course facilitator. The training programmes
focus on four main thematic areas: Environment and Climate Change; Social Sector; Economic
Statistics; and Big Data, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence.Table of contents
Acknowledgments ................................................................................................................. iv
List of acronyms ..................................................................................................................... v
Executive summary................................................................................................................... vi
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Overview of SIAP .............................................................................................................. 1
1.2 Purpose and objectives of the evaluation........................................................................ 2
2. Description............................................................................................................................. 2
2.1 Background....................................................................................................................... 2
2.2 Theory of change.............................................................................................................. 6
2.3 Organizational structure .................................................................................................. 7
2.4 Beneficiaries, target countries and key partners............................................................. 8
2.5 Resources ......................................................................................................................... 8
2.6 Previous evaluations ........................................................................................................ 9
3. Evaluation scope and methodology....................................................................................... 9
3.1 Evaluation scope .............................................................................................................. 9
3.2 Evaluation approach.......................................................................................................10
3.3 Data collection and analysis...........................................................................................10
3.4 Stakeholder analysis.......................................................................................................10
3.5 Sampling .........................................................................................................................11
3.6 Gender equality and disability inclusion ........................................................................11
3.7 Ethical considerations ....................................................................................................11
3.8 Risks and limitations.......................................................................................................11
4. Evaluation Findings..............................................................................................................12
4.1 Impact.............................................................................................................................13
4.2 Relevance .......................................................................................................................15
4.3 Effectiveness...................................................................................................................17
4.4 Efficiency ........................................................................................................................19
4.5 Sustainability ..................................................................................................................21
4.6 Gender equality and disability inclusion ........................................................................21
5. Conclusions..........................................................................................................................22
6. Recommendations...............................................................................................................25
Annex 1: Evaluation TORs ....................................................................................................27
Annex 2: Theory of change (based on 2020-2024 Strategic Plan).......................................35
Annex 3: Evaluation matrix ..................................................................................................38
Annex 4: Data collection instruments..................................................................................40
Annex 5: Survey response ....................................................................................................42
Annex 6: List of documents reviewed..................................................................................46
Annex 7: List of individuals consulted..................................................................................47
Annex 8: Courses by modality and Output ..........................................................................48
Annex 9: Management response .........................................................................................5
Course on e-commerce and digital marketing : women entrepreneur track
No full textIn today's digital age, a strong online presence is essential for business success. This course is divided into two parts. The first half focuses on essential digital marketing skills, covering basics, social media, search engine marketing, SEO, and emerging trends like AI. The second half teaches building an e-commerce presence, including product research, operations, online branding, digital marketing, and expansion strategies through social media and partnerships.</p