This book addresses the prospects and challenges concerning both soft and hard infrastructure development in Asia and provides a framework for achieving Asian connectivity through regional infrastructure cooperation towards a seamless Asia. This book is a follow-up volume to Infrastructure for a Seamless Asia, the most downloaded book on the ADBI website.

While overall food security has improved remarkably in Asia in the past decades, food insecurity still prevails in many developing countries in the region. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, over 500 million Asians still suffer from hunger. Sound strategies need to be developed and actions undertaken to fight food insecurity in Asia. This report suggests that institutional differences ...

The recently agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are expected to guide development through the 2030 time horizon. The 17 SDGs cover many areas, such as poverty, health, sustainable development, and the environment. Given that trade is not an end in itself, there is no specific SDG goal for trade, but it is recognized as an important means of implementation. The objective of this book is to ...

This book investigates long-term development issues for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It finds that with a proper policy mix including domestic structural reforms and bold initiatives for regional integration, by 2030 ASEAN has the potential to reach the average quality of life enjoyed today in advanced economies and fulfill its aspirations to become a resilient, ...

Since 2011, ADBI and the OECD have held an annual Roundtable on Labor Migration in Asia. The success of these events reflects the realization that meeting challenges means reaching out to colleagues in other countries. This report builds on these round tables and aims to identify innovative models for managing new and emerging forms of labor migration. To that end, it also provides, for the first ...

This report analyzes labor migration trends in Asia and emphasizes the importance of partnerships to promote effective labor migration management. It addresses temporary migrant worker programs, focusing on the Republic of Korea’s Employment Permit System and Malaysia’s Electrical and Electronics industry. It also highlights the key role multilateral and bilateral agreements play in protecting migrant ...

SMEs play a vital role in the Asian economy and comprise about 70% of the workforce and GDP in the region. To enhance productivity and ensure sustainable growth in Asia, it is vital to provide smooth financing to SMEs. Traditionally, commercial banks in Asia have regarded loans to SMEs as too risky relative to high transaction costs. However, new technologies including distributed ledger technology, ...

The services economy is on the rise all around the world, and services now comprise the largest share of economic activity and employment in almost every country. Yet, the services economy remains relatively understudied. This book presents the latest evidence demonstrating how technologies and globalization have transformed the services industry. Services are becoming increasingly tradable under ...

Education is a key driver for sustainable development (UNESCO 2018). The entire global community has been determined to ensure that all human beings can fulfill their potential in dignity and equality; to protect the planet so that it can support the needs of the present and future generations; to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling lives; to foster peaceful, just, and ...

Asia’s economic success over the past four decades has been built on a strategy of export promotion coupled with trade opening. Poverty rates throughout the region have fallen dramatically, especially in countries that have succeeded in integrating into regional or global value chains. However, this economic success has been accompanied by structural changes, such as the need for workers to change ...