Asia Regional Integration Center

The 19th edition of Asian Development Outlook examines trends and prospects in Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, in the context of global economic movements. It throws a spotlight on a variety of structural issues in developing Asia, discussing prospects over the next few decades which will depend on how the region responds and adapts to a constantly changing environment. Read more.

Senior officials from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; and representatives of partner multilateral institutions (ADB, EBRD, IMF, IsDB, UNDP, and World Bank) will meet on 26-27 March to discuss CAREC regional strategies in transport, energy, and trade. The meeting will be preceded by a CAREC Trade Policy Coordinating Committee Meeting on 24 March. A senior officials learning program, New Ventures in Regional Cooperation, will follow on 29-30 March.

Professor Richard E. Baldwin's paper entitled Managing the Noodle Bowl: The Fragility of East Asian Regionalism argues that East Asian regionalism is fragile and talks about a "New East Asian Regional Management Effort" with a reinforced ASEAN+3 leading the way. The first priority is to bind the region’s unilateral tariff cuts into the WTO. Read more.

Beginning 1 March 2007, Mr. Jong-Wha Lee assumes the position as ADB’s Head of the Office of Regional Economic Integration (OREI). Mr. Lee, a national of the Republic of Korea, obtained his Ph.D. and master’s in Economics from Harvard University, USA, and his master’s and bachelor in Economics from Korea University in Seoul. He has over 20 years of professional experience as an economist and academic and has most recently been Director of the International Center for Korean Studies and a Professor of Economics at Korea University.

A Seminar on Implementation Challenges in Joint Customs Control, Risk Management and Post-Entry Audit was held on 7-9 February 2007 in Bangkok, Thailand. Co-sponsored by the Asian Development Bank and the Royal Thai Customs, the seminar effectively combined knowledge sharing, policy forums and bilateral consultations to highlight key implementation challenges and effective approaches to joint customs control, risk management and post-entry audit.

Leading economic experts from various countries and ADB staff participated in the inception workshop of the ADB study "Emerging Asian Regionalism: Ten Years after the Crisis."  With focus on Asian regionalism, the study aims to analyze trends and challenges a decade after the 1997-1998 financial crisis by examining emerging economic dynamics, exploring options in  the changing policy environment, and identifying lessons for developing countries that seek to emulate East Asia's success. President Kuroda gave the opening remarks. Read the overview and workshop program.

The Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Comprehensive Action Plan (CAP) was endorsed at the 5th CAREC Ministerial Conference on 20 October 2006. The Strategic Framework outlines the main elements of the CAP, including the four pillars of activity as medium-term guidelines for the CAREC Program, a two-tier system for broadening and deepening the Program, and measures for ensuring strategic direction and management. View the document.

Regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) continue to proliferate in the Asia and Pacific region. Compared to more than 155 FTAs at the end of 2005, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) estimates that more than 192 bilateral and sub-regional FTAs are under consideration or already implemented in the region by end of December 2006. View the tables.