Asian Think Tank Forum 2023

(Suva)

26–28 September 2023
Grand Pacific Hotel and Laucala Campus, Suva, Fiji

About the forum

Pacific Island Economies (PIEs) are regarded as amongst the 92 most vulnerable member states of the United Nations. The PIEs are a heterogeneous set of countries, but they share many common characteristics, such as small size, fragile economic structure with narrow export base and remoteness translating to high transportation costs. The vulnerability of the region arises from its unique geography and susceptibility to shocks and natural disaster emanating as a result of climate change (ADB, 2013). There is an increased urgency for the region to scale up knowledge and capacity building for research in areas of pressing policy matters, such as trade, infrastructure, tourism, digitalization, labor mobility, regional cooperation and others.

In this context, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), under its ADB-Asian Think Tanks Network (ATTN) platform, and in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and the University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji, is convening a forum, called the ATTN Forum, bringing the community of researchers and policy makers together. The theme of the forum is “Pacific Island Economies: Aiming for Sustainable Economic Development in Midst of Growing Uncertainties”. The forum is an outcome of earlier activities, including a call for paper in January 2023, covering several topics of economic development, and a technical workshop held at the University of the South Pacific (USP) in April 2023.

This Forum will not only discuss the completed papers but will include topics on ADB economic outlook, new data sources and policy planning, and tourism and regional cooperation. In addition, a special capacity-building session will be hosted by ADBI and USP for selected participants. The Forum will bring together government officials from Fiji and other Pacific Island economies, think tanks in the Pacific, students, and academics.

The ATTN is a network of think tanks and research centers actively engaged in the study of sustainable economic growth and inclusive development in the Asia and Pacific region. The network led by ADB and in partnership with ADBI, undertakes collaborative policy-relevant research activity on a wide array of socio-economic themes while pursuing goals of (i) systematic knowledge-sharing among member think tanks; (ii) strengthening the think tanks’ operational capacity to generate robust research; and (iii) raising awareness of Asia and Pacific region in the global community.

Agenda

Tuesday, 26 September 2023
Day 1: Grand Pacific Hotel

  • Opening Session

    Emcee:
    Neelesh Gounder,
    Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of School, School of Accounting Finance and Economics, University of South Pacific (USP)
    Bio
    Neelesh Grounder is a Senior Lecturer with the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics at USP. He has a PhD in economics from Griffith University. Dr. Gounder teaches MBA439, Business Economics course with the Graduate School of Business.

    He is also a Centre Associate at the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

    Dr. Gounder is a recipient of the Greg Taylor Award in 2016 by the Australian National University. His research areas include governance and institutions, trade and poverty, and banking and finance.



    • 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
      Registration
    • 9:00 a.m. – 09:15 a.m.
      Welcome Remarks
      Professor Pal Ahluwalia
      Vice-Chancellor and President, USP
      Bio
      Pal Ahluwalia has always had a deep interest in the complexities of identity formation, yet his own upbringing and professional career reflects a myriad of cultural influences. He was born in Kenya, schooled in Canada, received a Bachelors degree and a Master of Arts from the University of Saskatchewan, and then completed his PhD at Flinders University in Adelaide. He was subsequently at Adelaide University for 14 years, finishing as Professor of the Politics Department, then Visiting Professor with the University of California Berkeley, and Professor with Goldsmiths College at the University of London, where he was also Director of the Centre for Postcolonial Studies.

      Prior to commencing as Pro Vice Chancellor, at the University of South Pacific Professor Ahluwalia was Research SA Chair and Professor of Post-Colonial Studies in the Hawke Research Institute and Director of the Centre for Post-Colonial Studies. At the same time he was a Professor in the Department of Ethnic Studies at the University of California. His main research interests lie in the areas of African studies, social and cultural theory, in particular, postcolonial theory and the process of diaspora, exile, and migration.

      On 14 October 2008, Professor Ahluwalia was appointed a UNCESCO Chair in Transnational Diasporas and Reconciliation Studies.

      From 2014-2018 he served as Pro Vice Chancellor Research and Innovation at the University of Portsmouth before being appointed as Vice Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific.

      Albert Park
      Chief Economist and Director General, Economic Research and Development Impact Department (ERDI), Asian Development Bank (ADB)
      Bio
      Albert Park is Chief Economist and Director General of the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department of the Asian Development Bank. He leads ADB’s work on policy research and regional cooperation and integration and on producing key analytical forecasts and reports, including the Asian Development Outlook, the bank’s flagship economic publication.

      Dr. Park has more than 2 decades of experience as a development economist. A well-known expert on the economy of the People’s Republic of China, he has directed a number of large-scale research projects in the country. He has also served as an international consultant for the World Bank and a member of the steering committee for the Asia-Pacific Research Universities’ Population Ageing Hub. Mr. Park has worked on a broad range of development issues including poverty and inequality, intergenerational mobility, microfinance, migration and labor markets, the future of work, and foreign investment.

      He is a founding director of HKUST’s Institute for Emerging Market Studies, was a professor at the University of Oxford, and associate professor at the University of Michigan. He has also held editorial positions at a number of leading economic journals.

      A national of the United States, he received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and his doctorate in applied economics from Stanford University.


      9:15 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.
      Introductory Remarks
      Tetsushi Sonobe
      Dean, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI)
      Introduction Bio
      Tetsushi Sonobe is the Dean and CEO of the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Tokyo-based think tank of the Asian Development Bank that promotes the realization of a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific through policy research and capacity building. Born in 1960 in Tokyo, Dean Sonobe obtained his PhD in economics from Yale University and BA in economics from the University of Tokyo. His research interests are centered on the empirics of economic development, particularly the roles of industrial clusters, human capital, social capital, management practices, and market competition in industrial development in developing Asia and other regions. Before joining ADBI in April 2020, Dean Sonobe served for six years as a vice president of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS) in Tokyo and taught economics for thirty years at Tokyo Metropolitan University and GRIPS. Dean Sonobe is a recipient of the Nikkei Book Publication Prize and the Masayoshi Ohira Memorial Prize, and a founding board member of the Japanese Association for Development Economics.

    • 9:25 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.
      Keynote Address
      Professor Biman Chand Prasad
      Minister, Ministry of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Fiji
      Keynote Bio
      Biman Prasad is Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance since 2022. Prasad was born in Dreketi in Vanua Levu and was educated at Muanidevo Indian School, Dreketi Junior Secondary School and Labasa College. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in mathematics and economics from the University of the South Pacific, he pursued a Masters of Commerce from the University of New South Wales and Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Queensland. He married Rajni Chand in 1986. They have two children.

      Prasad became a lecturer at the University of the South Pacific in 1986. He was President of the USP staff Association from 1999-2006, head of the School of Economics from 2003 to 2007, and Professor of Economics and Dean of the faculty of Business and Economics from 2007 to 2011. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Fijian Studies and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pacific Studies. Professor Prasad has published several books and journal articles. He has done consultancy work for many regional and international agencies and governments in the South Pacific region.

      In April 2014, Prasad resigned as Professor of Economics from the University of the South Pacific to pursue a political career. He continues to hold Adjunct Professorships at the Griffith University, James Cook University and Punjabi University in Patiala, India.

    • 9: 40 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
      Photo session
    • 9: 50 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
      Coffee break

  • Special Session: Economic Outlook

    Moderator:
    Albert Park
    ADB
    Bio
    Albert Park is Chief Economist and Director General of the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department of the Asian Development Bank. He leads ADB’s work on policy research and regional cooperation and integration and on producing key analytical forecasts and reports, including the Asian Development Outlook, the bank’s flagship economic publication.

    Dr. Park has more than 2 decades of experience as a development economist. A well-known expert on the economy of the People’s Republic of China, he has directed a number of large-scale research projects in the country. He has also served as an international consultant for the World Bank and a member of the steering committee for the Asia-Pacific Research Universities’ Population Ageing Hub. Mr. Park has worked on a broad range of development issues including poverty and inequality, intergenerational mobility, microfinance, migration and labor markets, the future of work, and foreign investment.

    He is a founding director of HKUST’s Institute for Emerging Market Studies, was a professor at the University of Oxford, and associate professor at the University of Michigan. He has also held editorial positions at a number of leading economic journals.

    A national of the United States, he received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and his doctorate in applied economics from Stanford University.



    • 10:00 a.m. – 11: 00 a.m.
      Economic Outlook of Asia and the Pacific
      Albert Park
      ADB
      Presentation Bio
      Albert Park is Chief Economist and Director General of the Economic Research and Regional Cooperation Department of the Asian Development Bank. He leads ADB’s work on policy research and regional cooperation and integration and on producing key analytical forecasts and reports, including the Asian Development Outlook, the bank’s flagship economic publication.

      Dr. Park has more than 2 decades of experience as a development economist. A well-known expert on the economy of the People’s Republic of China, he has directed a number of large-scale research projects in the country. He has also served as an international consultant for the World Bank and a member of the steering committee for the Asia-Pacific Research Universities’ Population Ageing Hub. Mr. Park has worked on a broad range of development issues including poverty and inequality, intergenerational mobility, microfinance, migration and labor markets, the future of work, and foreign investment.

      He is a founding director of HKUST’s Institute for Emerging Market Studies, was a professor at the University of Oxford, and associate professor at the University of Michigan. He has also held editorial positions at a number of leading economic journals.

      A national of the United States, he received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University and his doctorate in applied economics from Stanford University.


    • Panel Discussion
      Aaron Batten
      Regional Director, Pacific Subregional Office in Suva, Fiji, ADB
      Bio
      Aaron Batten is the Regional Director of ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office (SPSO) which leads the coordination and delivery of ADB operations in the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Niue. Mr Batten is an experienced development professional with 18 years of international experience, including 11 years with ADB, across the South Pacific, South-East Asia, and Africa. He earned a PhD in International and Development Economics from the Australian National University in 2009.

      Shiri Gounder
      Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics, Fiji
      Bio
      Shiri Gounder has been appointed as the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Economy. Gounder has been the Acting Permanent Secretary since the departure of Makereta Konrote.

      Prior to joining the Civil Service Gounder was attached to the Reserve Bank of Fiji as an Economist. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Financial Management and Economics and a Post Graduate Diploma in Economics from the University of South Pacific. Gounder also has a Master’s degree in International and Development Economics from the Australian National University.

      Neelesh Gounder
      Senior Lecturer and Deputy Head of School (Research and International), School of Economics, University of the South Pacific
      Bio
      Neelesh Grounder is a Senior Lecturer with the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics at USP. He has a PhD in economics from Griffith University. Dr. Gounder teaches MBA439, Business Economics course with the Graduate School of Business.

      He is also a Centre Associate at the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

      Dr. Gounder is a recipient of the Greg Taylor Award in 2016 by the Australian National University. His research areas include governance and institutions, trade and poverty, and banking and finance.


    • Open discussion
    • 11:00 a.m. – 11:10 a.m.
      Introduction to the Forum
      Sanchita Basu Das
      Economist, ADB
      Bio
      Sanchita Basu-Das joined ADB in November 2018 and initially served as an Economist in the South Asia Regional Department. She was previously the Lead Researcher for Economic Affairs at the ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. She was concurrently a Fellow of the Regional Economic Studies Program, coordinator of Singapore APEC Studies Centre and a co-editor of Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE), all housed under the same institute. Sanchita contributes to the Division’s flagship publications, knowledge products and analytical studies. Her core research interests include regional cooperation initiatives and issues related to them, such as trade, logistics, industrial corridors, tourism, digital economy, institutions and others. She has published in international journals including the Singapore Economic Review, Journal of World Trade and Asia Pacific Economic Literature and also authored/edited books and book chapters, as well as regularly written for media. She earned her PhD in International Political Economy from Nanyang Technology University, Singapore, and her Masters in Economics and Business Management from the University of Delhi and the National University of Singapore respectively.

  • Session 1: New Data Sources for Improved Policy Planning

    Moderator:
    Ashish Narain
    Principal Economist, Public Sector Management and Governance Sector Office, ADB
    Bio
    Ashish Narain is a principal economist in the Public Sector Management and Governance Sector Office of the Sectors Group. Prior to joining ADB, he was a senior economist with the International Finance Corporation. He obtained his doctoral degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park in the United States and master’s degree in International Economics and Public Economics from Delhi School of Economics, India.



    • 11:10 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
      Introductory Remarks
      Lesieli Tufui Faletau
      Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Economic Fiscal Policy Division, Ministry of Finance, Kingdom of Tonga
      Bio
      Lesieli Tufui Faletau is Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Finance (Economic and Fiscal Policy) at the Ministry of Finance, Government of Tonga. Assisting the Chief Executive Officer in the following core functions: Strengthening the Ministry of Finance understanding of the Tongan economy, providing robust, quality and timely policy advice, providing direction in the overall design and production of the Government’s Budget Statement, providing policy advise on the development of the economic (fiscal) and social sectors, and developing, monitoring and reviewing of relevant current policy issues and papers.

      She was former Advisor to the Executive Director (Constituency Office representing Armenia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Indonesia, Kyrgyz Republic, New Zealand, Fiji, Indonesia) of the Asian Development Bank, providing policy advice on the related matters towards the Constituency’s member countries, reviewing board papers and drafting Executive Director’s Board Statement, representing the Constituency office in meetings pertaining to any of the member countries particularly the Constituency Pacific member countries and developing the constituency periodic reports. Deputy Secretary of Finance (Economic, Social Policy & Planning Division) at Ministry of Finance & National Planning, Government of Tonga. Deputy Director of Planning, Economic Planning Division at the Central Planning Department, Government of Tonga.

      Education:
      • University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Graduated with a Master of Commerce (Advanced Business Economics & Statistics) – July 2003
      • Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand. Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) – July 1997


    • 11:30 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
      Presentation 1. “Evaluation of Remotely Sensed Nighttime Light as Complementary Data Source for Socioeconomic Indicators in Pacific Island Economies”
      Homer Pagkalinawan,
      Associate Economics Officer, ADB
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Homer Pagkalinawan is an associate economics officer from the macroeconomics research division of ADB's Economic Research and Development Impact Department. With his background in geospatial analytics, he ventures on the different application of locational big data in economic development monitoring and impact evaluation. Prior to joining ADB as a staff, he worked as technical consultant and conducted research on the use of nighttime light data and other satellite imageries in assessment of transportation projects, estimating typhoon damage through nowcasting, and sectoral evaluation of climate change. Adept with mapping and data visualization platforms, he enjoys building dashboards and templates for stakeholders to promote usability and reusability of project outputs.

    • 11:50 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 12:00 p.m. – 12:20 p.m.
      Presentation 2. “Integration Remote Sensing and Survey Data to Nowcast Disaster Impacts”
      Madhavi Pundit
      Senior Economist, ADB
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Madhavi Pundit is Senior Economist in ERDI. She contributes to macroeconomic monitoring, research, and analysis for the Asian Development Outlook. Her research areas include nowcasting, business cycles and macroeconomics with policy relevance in developing and emerging economies. She leads a Technical Assistance that explores big data applications for disaster impact analysis in Asian economies.

    • 12:20 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
      Lunch Break
    • 2:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
      Presentation 3. “Impact of Climate Change on Economic Activities in Pacific Region: Sub-national Analysis using Night Light Data”
      Trong-Anh Trinh
      Monash University
      Presentation Bio
      Trong-Anh Trinh is a Research fellow in the Centre for Health Economics, Monash Business School, Monash University.

      His broad research interests are in health economics, development economics, and labour economics. Before joining Monash University in 2022, he was a postdoctoral research fellow at the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, and before that, a young research fellow at the World Bank. He completed his PhD in Economics at RMIT in December 3019.

      A list of up-to-date publications can found at https://www.tronganhtrinh.com/

    • 2:20 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
      Open discussion

  • Session 2: Tourism and Regional Cooperation

    Moderator:
    Sanchita Basu-Das
    ADB
    Bio
    Sanchita Basu-Das joined ADB in November 2018 and initially served as an Economist in the South Asia Regional Department. She was previously the Lead Researcher for Economic Affairs at the ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. She was concurrently a Fellow of the Regional Economic Studies Program, coordinator of Singapore APEC Studies Centre and a co-editor of Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE), all housed under the same institute. Sanchita contributes to the Division’s flagship publications, knowledge products and analytical studies. Her core research interests include regional cooperation initiatives and issues related to them, such as trade, logistics, industrial corridors, tourism, digital economy, institutions and others. She has published in international journals including the Singapore Economic Review, Journal of World Trade and Asia Pacific Economic Literature and also authored/edited books and book chapters, as well as regularly written for media. She earned her PhD in International Political Economy from Nanyang Technology University, Singapore, and her Masters in Economics and Business Management from the University of Delhi and the National University of Singapore respectively.



    • 2:30 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
      Introductory Remarks
      Christopher Cocker
      Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Tourism Organisation
      Bio
      Christopher Cocker is a Tongan national and is the CEO of the South Pacific Tourism Organisation. He has over 20 years’ experience and expertise in Pacific trade, investment global tourism marketing and promotion. Before joining SPTO in June 2016, he was a short term consultant with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) based in Suva, Fiji, the project Manager for the EU-funded Pacific Regional Tourism Capacity Building Programme (PRTCBP) administered by the SPTO (2013-2015) and prior to SPTO, he was the Marketing Officer for the EU-funded Increasing Commodity Agriculture Trade (IACT) project administered by SPC. His previous work posts based in Auckland, New Zealand, include Trade Commissioner of Pacific Trade & Invest (PT&I) and Senior Programme Manager, Pacific Cooperation Foundation (PCF). Earlier in his career he was the Marketing & Memberships Services Manager at SPTO promoting regional tourism in global markets.

    • 2:50 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.
      Presentation 4. “Modelling Tourism Arrivals in the Pacific”
      Isoa Wainiqolo
      Senior Economics Officer, ADB
      Presentation Bio
      Isoa Wainiqolo is a Senior Economics Officer at the Pacific Subregional Office in Suva. In his current role, he is the country economist for Fiji, Tuvalu, and Niue. He joined ADB in 2019. Before this, Mr. Wainiqolo spent more than 11 years at the Reserve Bank of Fiji as an Economist and Senior Economist in various units. He obtained his Masters from Columbia University, in the USA, and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics and Accounting from the University of the South Pacific.

      Seron Shivanjali
      International Monetary Fund (IMF)

    • 3:10 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 3:20 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
      Presentation 5. “Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index Framework—Enhancing the Measures of RCI in the Pacific”
      Rolando Avendano
      Economist, ERCI, ADB
      Presentation Bio
      Rolando Avendano is an Economist at the Economic Research and Cooperation Department of the Asian Development Bank. His research focuses on financial and international economics, with an emphasis on regional integration, competitiveness and foreign direct investment.

      Prior to joining ADB, he worked for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France. He was partnership coordinator of PARIS21 (OECD Statistics and Data Directorate), economist with the Director’s Office and the Americas Desk (OECD Development Centre), and research associate with the OECD Trade Directorate and Economics Department. Previously, he was a lecturer at the Engineering Faculty of University of Los Andes (Colombia), and research associate at University College London (UK).

      A French and Colombian national, he holds a B.Sc. in Industrial Engineering from University of Los Andes and a Master and PhD in Economics from the Paris School of Economics (PSE).

    • 3:40 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      Wrap-up and End of Day 1
    • 4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
      Kava session
    • 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
      Cocktails Reception (by invitation)



Wednesday, 27 September 2021
Day 2: Grand Pacific Hotel

  • Session 3: Trade and Economic Growth

    Moderator:
    Neelesh Gounder
    USP
    Bio
    Neelesh Grounder is a Senior Lecturer with the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics at USP. He has a PhD in economics from Griffith University. Dr. Gounder teaches MBA439, Business Economics course with the Graduate School of Business.

    He is also a Centre Associate at the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

    Dr. Gounder is a recipient of the Greg Taylor Award in 2016 by the Australian National University. His research areas include governance and institutions, trade and poverty, and banking and finance.



    • 9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m.
      Introductory Remarks
      Professor Wadan Narsey
      Adjunct Professor, James Cook University
      Presentation 1 Presentation 2 Bio
      Wadan Narsey is an adjunct professor at the Cairns Institute (James Cook University). He worked at the University of the South Pacific for 40 years, during which time he did many consultancies for the World Bank, AusAID, NZAid, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, and the Fiji Bureau of Statistics.

    • 9:20 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.
      Presentation 6. “Papua New Guinea Global Trade Potential: Evidence from the Gravity Model Analysis”
      Lekima Nalaukai
      Assistant Lecturer, USP
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Lekima Nalaukai Economist/Assistant Lecturer Economics at the University of the South Pacific. Director/Consultant at HORAO Economic Consulting. Expert in the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) of Economies and excellent understanding of economic analysis both on micro and in the sectoral performance of this group of economies.
      • Comprehensive knowledge of economic modeling that is conducive to our island economies.
      • Teaching economic theories and modeling and their applications to second and third year undergraduate Economic students.
        Education:
      • PhD Economics Student. Current (USP) 2020
      • Supervised Research Project (USP) 2020
      • Masters of Commerce in Economics (USP) 2009.
      • Post Graduate Diploma in Economics (USP) 2008.
      • Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching (USP) 2012
      • Bachelor of Arts in Economics (USP) 2004.
      • Diploma in Business Studies (Econ) (FNU) 1998.


    • 9:40 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
      Open discussion
    • 9:50 a.m. – 10:10 a.m.
      Presentation 7. “Investigating Trade Costs and Trade Flows of Selected Melanesian Countries Using the Heterogeneous Trade Cost Effects Model”
      Amit Prakash
      Lecturer in Economics, University of Fiji
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Amit Prakash is a Lecturer in Economics at the University of Fiji. He holds postgraduate qualifications in Economics and currently pursuing Doctor of Philosophy studies at the University of the South Pacific. Mr. Prakash has been in academia for over 10 years. He has attended and presented at numerous international conferences and forums. Moreover, published in peer reviewed journals. His area of interest is in International Economics, Financial Economics and Intellectual Property. Mr. Prakash has secured research grants as well as done consultancy for international agency.

    • 10:10 a.m. – 10:20 a.m.
      Open discussion
    • 10:20 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.
      Presentation 8. “The Nexus between Foreign Direct Investment, Trade Openness, and Economic Growth in Fiji”
      Anh Tru Nguyen
      Deputy Dean, Faculty of Accounting and Business Management, Viet Nam National University of Agriculture
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Anh Tru Nguyen received a PhD in Management from the University of Newcastle, Australia. He is currently working as the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Accounting and Business Management, Vietnam National University of Agriculture. He published more than 30 papers in international journals. His research interests focus on Development Economics, Energy Economics, Environmental Economics, Marketing, and Business Management.

    • 10:40 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
      Open discussion
    • 10:50 a.m. –11:00 a.m.
      Coffee Break

  • Session 4: Economic Resilience

    Moderator:
    Daniel Suryadarma
    Economist, ADBI
    Bio
    Daniel Suryadarma conducts applied economics research in the areas of education, labor, poverty, and social policy. His work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals, such as American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, and Journal of Development Economics. His research has informed policy discussions at the Indonesian Vice President’s Office, Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, and various international organizations and donor agencies.

    Prior to joining ADBI, Daniel was the deputy team leader of the Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) Programme in Indonesia and a senior research fellow at the SMERU Research Institute in Jakarta. He was previously a research fellow at the Australian National University and led the impact evaluation unit at the Center for International Forestry Research.

    Daniel has economics degrees from Brandon University, the University of Toronto, and the Australian National University.



    • 11:00 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.
      Introductory Remarks
      Selwyn Takana
      Deputy Secretary Economics, Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Solomon Islands
      Bio
      Selwyn Takana is the Deputy Secretary for Economics (DSE) in Ministry of Finance & Treasury (MOFT) overseeing economic policies, structural and legislative reforms for the Solomon Islands Government. He has been with Ministry of Finance & Treasury for over 10 years. Prior to being appointed as the DSE, he was the Under Secretary Corporate (Deputy Secretary Corporate) overseeing and managing the administrative aspects of the ministry. Prior to being the USC, Mr. Takana was the Director for the Economic Reform Unit within MOFT for 7 years overseeing, coordinating and managing economic policies and legislative reforms within Ministry of Finance & Treasury.

      Mr. Takana is also one of the current board members of the Solomon Islands National Provident Fund (SINPF) a leading pension fund financial institution in Solomon Islands.

      Mr. Takana holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of the South Pacific majoring in Economics and Public Administration & Management.
    • 11:20 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
      Presentation 9. “Logging Off: Searching for New Growth Drivers for Solomon Islands”
      Prince Christian Cruz
      ADB Consultant
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Prince Christian R. Cruz is a National Advisor (Consultant) under the Pacific Economic Management Technical Assistance of ADB’s Pacific Department. He has more than 10 years of experience dealing with Pacific economies in terms of research, surveillance, forecasting, and modeling. He regularly contributes to ADB publications including the Asian Development Outlook and the Pacific Economic Monitor focusing mainly on the economies of Nauru, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. Prince has a Master in Development Economics degree from the University of the Philippines, where he is also a Ph.D. candidate.

    • 11:40 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
      Open discussion
    • 11:50 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.
      Presentation 10. “Barriers to Micro Business Start-Ups: COVID and Post-COVID Evidence from Fiji”
      Seone Lolesio
      Assistant Lecturer, USP
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Seone Lolesio was born and raised in the island of Niua Niuatoputapu, in the northernmost part of Tonga. He graduated with a BCom (Accounting & Economics), Postgraduate Diploma (Economics), MCom (Economics), and Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching (GCTT) from USP. He has been working at USP for almost 19 years since October 2004. He held various positions, mostly in teaching but also in administration as well. The highlight of his administration responsibilities is a four year contract, July 2018 - July 2022 as the Campus Director in one of USP's Regional Campuses, Niue Campus. Niue is one of the most peaceful, pristine environments, and friendly islands in the world. Seone is currently an Assistant Lecturer, at the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics, Economics Discipline, Laucala Campus, Suva Fiji. He is currently studying towards his Doctorate in Business Administration Online with the SP Jain School of Global Management (Mumbai, Dubai, Singapore, and Sydney) (https://www.spjain.org/). He is hoping to complete his thesis by August, 2023. He is married to Stella, from Savusavu, Fiji, and they have an 18 year old daughter.

    • 12:10 p.m. – 12:20 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 12:20 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.
      Lunch Break

  • Session 5: FDI, Migration, and Remittances

    Moderator:
    Ashish Narain
    ADB
    Bio
    Ashish Narain is a principal economist in the Public Sector Management and Governance Sector Office of the Sectors Group. Prior to joining ADB, he was a senior economist with the International Finance Corporation. He obtained his doctoral degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park in the United States and master’s degree in International Economics and Public Economics from Delhi School of Economics, India.



    • 1:30 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.
      Introductory Remarks
      Sunil Kumar
      Policy Advisor, Office of the Prime Minister of Fiji
      Introduction

    • 1:50 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.
      Presentation 11. “Aiming for Sustainable Economic Development during Growing Uncertainties: The Federated States of Micronesia Case”
      Michael Levin
      Consultant, PacificWeb LLc
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Michael Levin did anthropological and demographic fieldwork on Eauripik in Yap State of Micronesia in 1973 and has been working around the Pacific ever since. He was at the U.S. Census Bureau for almost 30 years, specializing in census and survey work in U.S. territories, followed by 7 years at Harvard University, and then the East-West Center. Currently, he leads a team of Micronesians in continuing to help implement, process, and analyze Pacific Islands censuses and surveys. The team has a statistical website www.pacificweb.org and a news site.

    • 2:10 p.m. – 2:20 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 2:20 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.
      Presentation 12. “Migration, Foreign Direct Investment, and Vulnerability: Panel-Based Evidence”
      Nitika Nand
      Teaching Assistant, USP
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Nitika Nand a Teaching Assistant in Economics at the University of the South Pacific Laucala Campus Suva. I hail from the western part of Viti Levu, Fiji, specifically from Ba. With a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Certificate in Education, majoring in Accounting and Economics, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Economics, I am currently working towards a master’s degree in Economics by Thesis. I am deeply passionate about economics and how it impacts various regions of the world. Apart from my academic pursuits, I enjoy swimming, cooking, and meeting new people to learn about their cultures and perspectives. My diverse range of interests, combined with my academic qualifications, makes me a well-rounded individual who is always eager to learn and grow.

    • 2:40 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 2:50 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
      Coffee Break
    • 3:00 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.
      Presentation 13. “Male Migration and Women Empowerment: The Case of Samoa”
      Vu Thu Trang
      Research Associate, ADB Institute
      Presentation Paper Bio
      Trang Thu Vu obtained her PhD in development economics at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo. Currently, she works as a Research Associate at the Asian Development Bank Institute.

      Her research focuses on development economics, applied econometrics, impact evaluation, and behavioral economics.

    • 3:20 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
      Open discussion
    • 3:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
      Closing Remarks
      Ashish Narain
      ADB
      Bio
      Ashish Narain is a principal economist in the Public Sector Management and Governance Sector Office of the Sectors Group. Prior to joining ADB, he was a senior economist with the International Finance Corporation. He obtained his doctoral degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park in the United States and master’s degree in International Economics and Public Economics from Delhi School of Economics, India.

      Neelesh Gounder
      USP
      Bio
      Neelesh Grounder is a Senior Lecturer with the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics at USP. He has a PhD in economics from Griffith University. Dr. Gounder teaches MBA439, Business Economics course with the Graduate School of Business.

      He is also a Centre Associate at the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

      Dr. Gounder is a recipient of the Greg Taylor Award in 2016 by the Australian National University. His research areas include governance and institutions, trade and poverty, and banking and finance.

    • 3:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
      Wrap up and reminder for next day
      Sanchita Basu Das
      ADB
      Bio
      Sanchita Basu-Das joined ADB in November 2018 and initially served as an Economist in the South Asia Regional Department. She was previously the Lead Researcher for Economic Affairs at the ASEAN Studies Centre of ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore. She was concurrently a Fellow of the Regional Economic Studies Program, coordinator of Singapore APEC Studies Centre and a co-editor of Journal of Southeast Asian Economies (JSEAE), all housed under the same institute. Sanchita contributes to the Division’s flagship publications, knowledge products and analytical studies. Her core research interests include regional cooperation initiatives and issues related to them, such as trade, logistics, industrial corridors, tourism, digital economy, institutions and others. She has published in international journals including the Singapore Economic Review, Journal of World Trade and Asia Pacific Economic Literature and also authored/edited books and book chapters, as well as regularly written for media. She earned her PhD in International Political Economy from Nanyang Technology University, Singapore, and her Masters in Economics and Business Management from the University of Delhi and the National University of Singapore respectively.

    • 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
      Networking Dinner (by invitation)



Thursday, 28 September 2021
Day 3: University of South Pacific Post-Graduate Lecture Theater, SAFE

  • Capacity Building Training: Public Policy Workshop for Policy Makers

    The workshop will specifically focus on developing resilient policies that are tailored to address the unique challenges of the region, fostering collaboration among participants, and enhancing decision-making skills. All sessions will have a substantive focus on disaster resilience and preparedness while also providing a general analytical toolkit. Case materials (that include Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu and the 2023 Maui wildfires) will be distributed in advance to workshop participants to allow them to prepare for discussions. The workshop will be conducted in an interactive format.

    Facilitator:
    Prof. Kent Weaver
    Georgetown University/Brookings
    Bio
    R. Kent Weaver is Professor of Public Policy and Government at Georgetown University. He has also been an affiliated faculty member of Stanford University’s Leadership Academy for Development (LAD) since 2014. He teaches courses on Strategic Management of Policy Reform, Public Policy & Private Sector Development, Promoting Behavior Change, and Case Writing and Case Teaching for Public Policy. Weaver's major fields of research interest are comparative political institutions, comparative social policy (with a particular focus on public pension programs), and policy implementation. He received his M.A. and Ph.D. in political science from Harvard University.



    • 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
      Identifying problems and developing a theory of change
    • 10:30 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.
      Coffee Break
    • 10:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
      Implementing public policy
    • 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
      Lunch
    • 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
      Changing the behavior of individuals and businesses
    • 3:30 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.
      Coffee Break
    • 3:40 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
      Assessing political feasibility and building coalitions of support among stakeholders
    • 4:30 p.m. – 4:40 p.m.
      Closing
      Daniel Suryadarma
      ADBI
      Bio
      Daniel Suryadarma conducts applied economics research in the areas of education, labor, poverty, and social policy. His work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals, such as American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, and Journal of Development Economics. His research has informed policy discussions at the Indonesian Vice President’s Office, Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture, and various international organizations and donor agencies.

      Prior to joining ADBI, Daniel was the deputy team leader of the Research on Improving Systems of Education (RISE) Programme in Indonesia and a senior research fellow at the SMERU Research Institute in Jakarta. He was previously a research fellow at the Australian National University and led the impact evaluation unit at the Center for International Forestry Research.

      Daniel has economics degrees from Brandon University, the University of Toronto, and the Australian National University.

      Neelesh Gounder
      USP
      Bio
      Neelesh Grounder is a Senior Lecturer with the School of Accounting, Finance and Economics at USP. He has a PhD in economics from Griffith University. Dr. Gounder teaches MBA439, Business Economics course with the Graduate School of Business.

      He is also a Centre Associate at the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University.

      Dr. Gounder is a recipient of the Greg Taylor Award in 2016 by the Australian National University. His research areas include governance and institutions, trade and poverty, and banking and finance.