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Ageing Asia: A New Challenge for the Region
7 May 2007 (10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.)
Many countries in Asia, particularly in East Asia, are now on the edge of drastic
demographic changes. Some countries will face demographic challenges related to
a declining share of their working populations and an increase in the share of aged
dependents as early as 2015-2020. This is expected to have adverse effects on their
economic performance and prospects through a decrease in the labor force, and lower
saving and investment rates. However, there are a number of Southeast Asian countries
that will face the opposite problem. Although populations are still very young in these
countries, over the next two decades a bulge in the size of the working age population
will occur. This raises the potential for significant levels of unemployment and related
social problems.
Increasing liberalization and regional integration imply that these development
imbalances between "older" and "younger" countries may be mediated by crossborder
movements of capital and/or labor. This underscores the importance of dealing
with aging issues not just at the domestic level, but at the regional level as well.
Against this backdrop, this seminar will provide an opportunity to:
- discuss the current
status and characteristics of aging in Asia;
- draw out its domestic and regional
implications, and
- explore feasible policy responses.
Since much of the work on aging in Asia has had a strong domestic focus, the seminar will pay particular attention
to the regional dimension, especially the role that regional cooperation could play.
Read the ADB President Kuroda's Closing Remarks.
For further information, contact Mr. Jayant Menon, email: jmenon@adbi.org
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