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Taxes can help lower obesity
ADBI and the World Health Organization (WHO) organized a workshop, Overweight and Obesity in Asia and the Pacific, on 13–15 July in Manila to identify fiscal policies and other measures to curb rapidly increasing obesity rates in the region. The workshop focused on the best design and efficient implementation of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages. Speakers included ADBI Research Co-Chair Matthias Helble, University of Illinois-Chicago Professor Lisa Powell, and Jeremias Paul and Temo Waqanivalu, both from WHO. Delegates from 12 governments in Asia and the Pacific participated in the event. Click here for our latest publication on overweight and obesity.
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Decentralization and multi-stakeholder involvement key to innovative finance for sustainable sanitation
Decentralized approaches and multi-stakeholder involvement are key to attract innovative finance for sustainable sanitation in South Asia. This was concluded at the workshop Leadership Capacity Building Program on Sustainable Sanitation Strategies for Policy Makers, organized by ADBI and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and developed in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on 11–13 July in Singapore. Nineteen senior and mid-level government officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka completed the 3-day program with experts, academics, and industry professionals from India, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States presenting their case studies on institutional arrangements to implement sanitation. ADBI Deputy Dean Chul Ju Kim and Director Shinichi Nakabayashi chaired several sessions.
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Economic corridor development approach crucial to economic development and resilience
The economic corridor development (ECD) approach emphasizes the development of full-fledged economic corridors in Asia and is critical as intraregional trade in Asia increases. Stronger intraregional trade promoted by ECD not only contributes to economic growth but also offers a buffer against global trade risks and policy uncertainties, increasing economic resilience. These were some takeaways from the workshop on Economic Corridor Development for Competitive and Inclusive Asia, held on 9-11 July in Jakarta, Indonesia, organized in cooperation with ADB, the BIMP-EAGA Facilitation Center, and with support from the governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
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Policy frameworks critical to improve infrastructure planning, implementation, and funding in the Pacific
Policy frameworks are critical to attract innovative financing measures to improve infrastructure planning, implementation mechanisms, and funding in the Pacific. This was concluded at Capacity Building in Green Infrastructure and Housing for Poverty Reduction in the Pacific Region, a workshop organized by ADBI and the Institute of Global Development UNSW at Nadi, Fiji on 25-27 June 2018. Over 20 government officials working in infrastructure development from 13 Pacific island countries and several global experts working in housing, disaster risk reduction, and green financing presented. ADBI Senior Economist and Special Advisor to the Dean Wawan Juswanto, UNSW Built Environment Dean Helen Lochhead, and the Fijian Permanent Secretary for Infrastructure and Transport David Kolitagane gave the opening remarks.
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Experts discuss women and technology at the 8th Annual Asia Pacific Financial Inclusion Forum
ADBI and the Foundation for Development Cooperation hosted the 8th Annual Asia Pacific Financial Inclusion Forum on 26–27 June. It was opened by Bank of Papua New Guinea Governor Loi Bakani, who highlighted challenges specific to the Pacific islands and urged participants to consider the importance of women in achieving financial inclusion. The meeting also discussed the role of technology, specifically blockchain and distributed ledger technology, in advancing financial inclusion in APEC countries. Distinguished participants included Bank of Papua New Guinea Assistant Governor Elison Pidik, Bangladesh Bank Deputy Governor S. M. Moniruzzaman, and Deputy Minister U Maung Maung Win of Myanmar’s Ministry of Planning and Finance.
Asia Pathways Blog
- “Monsters” in the house? What to do about Malaysia’s government-linked companies
- Japan’s Local Government Debt Control System
- What are the reasons behind the decrease in solar module prices?
- Sustainable funding schemes for the development of waste management projects in Asia
- High-speed rail investment: A butterfly effect for urban chaos
Books
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Wealthy But Unhealthy: Overweight and Obesity in Asia and the Pacific: Trends, Costs, and Policies for Better Health
High rates of overweight and obesity in Asia and the Pacific seriously threaten people’s health and undermine the region’s prosperity.
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Mission Incomplete: Reflating Japan's Economy (second edition)
In April 2013 the Bank of Japan launched an unprecedented quantitative and qualitative monetary easing policy. It was thought that a 2% price stability target could be achieved within 2 years; 4 years on and we are still mission incomplete.
Latest
High rates of overweight and obesity in Asia and the Pacific seriously threaten people’s health and undermine the region’s prosperity. Wealthy But Unhealthy: Overweight and Obesity in Asia and the Pacific: Trends, Costs, and Policies for Better Health
To secure economic growth, the decline in government expenditure must exceed the increase in tax revenue.
Fiscal Policy Conditions for Government Budget Stability and Economic Recovery: Comparative Analysis of Japan and Greece
The Kyrgyz Republic first introduced financial inclusion in 2010 but income inequality remains substantial and access to financial services restricted.
Financial Inclusion, Financial Regulation, Financial Literacy, and Financial Education in the Kyrgyz Republic
Georgia is outperforming developing Eastern European and Central Asian countries in terms of access to finance but is very much behind in terms of usage of financial products and technologies.
Financial Inclusion, Financial Literacy, and Financial Education in Georgia
Money’s in the Mail Mum!
3 very practical ways countries can cut the costs of sending money overseas from migrant workers to their families back home.
Firms in the North remain unaccountable for the environmental costs of outsourcing; tight environmental regulations and international cooperation are needed to improve environmental conditions in outsourcing sites in the South.
International Outsourcing, Environmental Costs, and Welfare
Podcast
- Global and Asian financial oversight needs updating before the next crisis hits
- Crisis to opportunity—Asia and the Pacific are more integrated since 2008
- Lessons from the Asian contagion helped the IMF tackle global financial crisis
- Australia, New Zealand have “green” policies but neither has reached its renewable-energy potential
