Ambitions are affordable for Asia and the Pacific
Three years of implementation of the transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific shows the region has some catching up to do. Despite much progress, the…
Economic and social survey for Asia and the Pacific 2018: mobilizing finance for sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth
Asia and the Pacific remains the engine of the global economy. It continues to power trade, investment and jobs the world over. The two-thirds of the region's economies grew faster…
Economic and social survey for Asia and the Pacific 2017: Effective governance key to economic growth
The Asia-Pacific region's high and steady economic growth has been an anchor of stability for the struggling world economy in recent years. Developing economies of the region now account for…
Asian tigers and paper tigers
An important new book explains why some countries have become economic tigers in East Asia while others are relative failures or paper tigers. ‘How Asia Works’ by Joe Studwell is…
Obama’s absence hands floor to China at Asian summits
As US President Barrack Obama cancelled a planned trip to South-east Asia on Friday, China announced visits by Premier Li Keqiang to Thailand, Vietnam and three summits of regional leaders…
China’s miracles
This week, China has been celebrating its foundation day as the People’s Republic of China was founded on October 1, 1949. Comparing Pakistan and China at their births in his…
Lethal pesticides
THE World Health Organisation estimates over 19,000 suicide deaths every year in Pakistan, with evidence suggesting that the actual number could be significantly higher due to under-reporting. Previous research from…
Bangladesh — more of the same change?
It began with Afghanistan. Then it was Sri Lanka. Now it is Bangladesh. Scenes are almost identical. Public outrage pouring onto streets. Mob moving towards the no-go areas of prime…
Road to self-sustainability
During the last few decades, global economies have been facing tough challenges. The recent spell started in March 2020 when Covid-19 jolted domestic and international business activities, besides taking heavy…
Shaping our digital future
Asia and the Pacific is the most digitally divided region of the world, and South-East Asia is the most divided sub-region. The Covid-19 pandemic detonated a “digital big bang” that…
