LI Yong, UNIDO Director General and Hongjoo Hahm, Officer-in-Charge, ESCAP The business case for making our economy more sustainable is clear. Globally, transitioning to a circular economy – where materials are reused, re-manufactured or recycled-could significantly reduce carbon emissions and deliver over US$1 trillion in material cost savings by 2025. The benefits for Asia and […]
Fighting inequality in Asia and the Pacific
Dr. Shamshad Akhtar Inequality is increasing in Asia and the Pacific. Our region’s remarkable economic success story belies a widening gap between rich and poor. A gap that’s trapping people in poverty and, if not tackled urgently, could thwart our ambition to achieve sustainable development. This is the central challenge heads of state and government […]
Economic and Social Survey for Asia and the Pacific 2018
Mobilizing finance for sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth Dr. Shamshad Akhtar Asia and the Pacific remains the engine of the global economy. It continues to power trade, investment and jobs the world over. Two thirds of the region’s economies grew faster in 2017 than the previous year and the trend is expected to continue […]
Towards Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration in Asia and the Pacific
Dr. Shamshad Akhtar In 2017, Asia and the Pacific will be home to 62 million international migrants. That’s a population larger than the Republic of Korea’s. Even more people from our region – over 100 million–live outside their countries of birth. At the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) […]
Ministerial Summit on Environment – Towards a Resource Efficient and Pollution Free Asia-Pacific
Dr. Shamshad Akhtar and Erik Solheim Senior government officials from across Asia and the Pacific will meet in Bangkok this week for the first-ever Asia-Pacific Ministerial Summit on the Environment. The high-level meeting is co-convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) and UN Environment and is […]
Building on seventy years of success
Dr. Shamshad Akhtar The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) marks its 70th anniversary this year. This is a rare opportunity for the oldest and largest of the United Nations regional commissions to take stock of past achievements, but also to spotlight where efforts need to be concentrated to […]
Economic stability in Asia and the Pacific provides opportunities to make progress on productivity and inclusiveness
Dr.Shamshad Akhtar Against the backdrop of a sluggish global economy, lacklustre trade growth, and uncertainty in major economies, countries of the Asia-Pacific region continued to push ahead at an estimated 4.9per cent in 2016. Indeed, it is encouraging to note that the region continues to lead in global economic growth, mainly bolstered by the ongoing […]