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4th South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Environment Working Group (EWG) Meeting

The SASEC Program promotes subregional cooperation and supports prioritized investment projects in six sectors including environment.

The EWG first convened in 2001 after the SASEC program was launched with ADB support. Its primary achievement to date has been the selection and implementation of two regional technical assistance (RETA) projects supported under the SASEC Program: RETA to establish a regional air quality monitoring program implemented from 2003-2004, and RETA on Managing Hazardous Wastes. In terms of promoting regional cooperation on environment, the EWG’s impact has been marginal. SASEC Country Advisors and ADB agreed to discuss the challenges confronting the EWG and look for ways to move it forward given emerging opportunities in the environment sector.

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The 4th EWG Meeting will discuss and decide on the strategic directions of the EWG in view of the emerging issues and opportunities in the environment sector. Particularly, it will tackle the growing concerns on climate change and the SASEC countries’ plans to intensify efforts to mitigate effects of and adapt to climate change using a coordinated regional approach.

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• (i) Recommendations for strategic directions of the EWG, including a regional approach to addressing climate change; and
• (ii) report on the status of EWG and RETA on Managing Hazardous Wastes.

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The meeting will bring together around 20-25 participants from the SASEC participating countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal) and ADB comprising:

• SASEC Environment Working Group Members;
• SASEC Country Advisors; and
• ADB Team