ESCAP Repository (United Nations ESCAP)
Not a member yet
8868 research outputs found
Sort by
Building hopeful futures : women-led MSMEs and the pandemic in Samoa
Get PDFWomen's Economic Empowerment (WEE) is deeply intertwined with a country’s development as well as its pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. In Samoa as well as the rest of the world, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) often act as the pathway to economic livelihoods for the bulk of the population. While robust data does not exist for Samoa, it is estimated that over 4000 MSMEs exist in Samoa, likely including half the country’s workforce. As the coronavirus gripped the rest of the world, Samoa felt economic devastation from the ripple effects which stopped tourism, interrupted trade, and dampened economic activity across Asia and the Pacific. MSMEs suffered tremendously, and women-led MSMEs suffered disproportionally. Now, as some countries are opening, and as the Samoan economy may see better days on the horizon, it is useful to propose remedies for MSMEs and women-led MSMEs in particular to facilitate a bright future for this essential part of the Samoan economy and Samoan communities.
This report proposes an array of practical ideas in carving a path forward for MSME recovery, specifically targeted towards the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) of the Government of Samoa. Samoa’s MSME Policy is the first dedicated MSME Policy in the Pacific. MCIL, as the lead implementer of this Policy is similarly well-placed in a leadership role to spearhead the recovery and long-term development process
This report proposes an array of practical ideas in carving a path forward for MSME recovery, specifically targeted towards the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour (MCIL) of the Government of Samoa. Samoa’s MSME Policy is the first dedicated MSME Policy in the Pacific. MCIL, as the lead implementer of this Policy is similarly well-placed in a leadership role to spearhead the recovery and long-term development process.</p
Tax compliance : rationale and behavioral aspects of taxpayer motives
Get PDFThe objective of this policy brief is to provide an easy-to-digest overview of the factors affecting tax compliance in developing countries, including taxpayer motives at the micro level (section II) and determinants of national tax capacities at the macro level (section III), as well as a summary of policy options based on the discussion (section IV). Section V describes the tax situation in Pakistan and discusses the main messages and insights of the policy brief for Pakistan
Report on sustainable urban transport index : Lautoka City, Fiji
No full textAccording to research published in UN-Habitat’s flagship report, “The State of the World’s Cities
2010-2011”, developing regions including Africa, the Caribbean, and the Pacific, will have more people
living in urban than rural areas by the year 2030. With half of the world’s population already living in
urban areas, the challenges we face in the battle against urban poverty, our quest for cities without
slums, for cities where women feel safer, for inclusive cities with power, water and sanitation, and
affordable transport, for better planned cities, and for cleaner, greener cities is daunting. Lautoka, one
of the two cities in Fiji, is known as the ‘Sugar City’ due to its status as the home to the country’s
largest sugar mill. With the growing trend of rural-to-urban migration and the large number of urban
populations, Lautoka suffers from various urban transport problems. These include a lack of reliable
public transport systems, inadequate transport infrastructures, insufficient bus stops and facilities,
and increasing fuel consumption and vehicle emission. To assess the state of urban transportation
systems and services in Lautoka, a quantitative analysis is undertaken in this report by employing the
Sustainable Urban Transportation Index (SUTI) developed by UNESCAP, comprising 10 indicators.
Data collected and presented in the report are mostly secondary data. The basic benefit of this study
is that it can provide valuable insights to the Town councils, the Ministry of Public Works, Transport &
Meteorological Services in Fiji, the Road Authority, and other related stakeholders, guiding them toward
enhancing overall accessibility and sustainability of urban transport systems and services. The report
also highlights the necessity of putting laws and procedures in place aimed at increasing the utilization
of active and public transport, addressing the absence of air quality monitoring stations, and boosting
investments in public transport. Even though greenhouse gas emissions are within acceptable limits,
this suggests the necessity to build a new station. Numerous laws and actions are required for
a transition to a carbon-neutral transport system, while the country should seek to raise the SUTI
score overall by the indicator
Assessing the enabling framework conditions for subnational climate finance in Medan City, Binjai City and Deli Serdang Regency, North Sumatra Province, Indonesia
No full textThis report presents findings from the assessment of subnational enabling framework conditions for urban climate finance in Medan City, Binjai City and Deli Serdang Regency (Mebidang), Indonesia. This assessment was conducted under the Urban-Act project, which seeks to strengthen institutional frameworks for climate finance, enhance subnational government capacity and facilitate multi-level governance for sustainable urban climate action. The analysis focuses on four key dimensions that define the enabling environment for subnational climate finance: i) Climate policy; ii) Budget and finance; iii) Climate data; and iv) Vertical and horizontal coordination. The report offers practical recommendations to strengthen governance and improve access to climate finance at the subnational level
Targeting transformative disaster risk resilience in the Pacific : Subregional report
No full textThe Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2024 warns of escalating climate and disaster risks for the Pacific region, with Small Island Developing States (SIDS) facing the most severe threats under 1.5°C and 2°C warming scenarios. Increased cyclones, droughts, and rising sea levels endanger both ecosystems and densely populated areas like Fiji, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea. Approximately 90% of the Pacific population is exposed to multiple hazards, with key sectors such as agriculture and energy particularly vulnerable. The report calls for urgent action through enhanced early warning systems, increased regional cooperation, and investment in resilient infrastructure to safeguard lives, biodiversity, and economic stability, underscoring the need for innovative adaptation to protect the Pacific’s future
Understanding every step of cross-border e-commerce: exporting food products from Chile to China
No full textThe topic of cross-border e-commerce has become a focal point in discussions at global, regional, and national levels. Despite the considerable interest it has attracted, there's a pronounced gap in our understanding, especially concerning the transactional details inherent in cross-border e-commerce. This lack of detailed knowledge creates an evidence gap, which significantly hinders the development of informed policies. This report aims to bridge this gap by offering a comprehensive examination of the trade procedures involved in importing food products from Chile to China. Through a detailed exploration of each step in the process, the report not only highlights the complexity of these trade operations but also suggests policy recommendations for simplifying and improving the efficiency of trade processes and procedures. Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC
Policy recommendations : building sustainable and efficient multimodal transport systems in the digital era
No full textAssessing India's enabling framework conditions for subnational climate finance
Get PDFThe project is funded by The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) under the International Climate Initiative (IKI).Scaling finance for cities’ climate action requires sufficient enabling conditions at the national level. Enabling framework conditions (EFCs) can create a conducive environment for climate finance, thereby helping national and subnational entities to drive climate action and contribute to the achievement of climate goals. Such EFCs improve access to finance by creating the right policy environment, enabling cities’ access to finance, strengthening subnational climate data, and ensuring coordination from the national to the city level. This report presents findings from our pilot application in India of the CCFLA/Urban-Act National Assessment Tool, which evaluates countries’ national-level EFCs to mobilize subnational climate finance.</p