Spotlight Archives
- New Head of OREI02 March 2007Beginning 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.
- CAREC: Addressing Challenges in Implementing Joint Customs Control28 February 2007A 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.
- Emerging Asian Regionalism: Ten Years after the Crisis21 February 2007Leading 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.
- CAREC Comprehensive Action Plan13 February 2007The 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.
- ADB counts 192 FTAs in the Asia and Pacific region by end of 200629 January 2007Regional 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.
- Access to Energy Key to Reducing Poverty, ADB Official Tells Delhi Summit23 January 2007At the Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, Dr. Bindu N. Lohani, Director General, Regional and Sustainable Development Department of ADB, stressed the need to make large investments in energy conservation, energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, clean technology, and energy for the poor. Read the speech.
- Time to Forge Ties to Achieve East Asia's Stability and Prosperity, ADB President Says at Summit15 January 2007East Asia should build now on its recent economic achievements to forge ties that can achieve a vision of lasting stability and prosperity for the region, ADB's President Haruhiko Kuroda told leaders at the Second East Asia Summit. Read the speech.
- International Symposium – “Asia is Moving Forward: Ten Years after the Crisis” 1 January 2007Ten years from the start of the Asian financial crisis, ADB will host a symposium on 2 July 2007 to review the recovery of crisis-affected countries and the challenges Asian economies face in embracing regionalism. Thai Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn and Malaysian Central Bank Governor Zeti Akhtar Aziz will join a panel of distinguished speakers. See program.
- ADB Seminar Series on Regional Economic Integration: Managing East Asian Regionalism12 December 2006In his presentation yesterday, Professor Richard Baldwin of the Graduate Institute of International Studies, Geneva, stressed the need to launch a new East Asia regional management effort, prioritizing the streamline of free trade agreements. OREI Head Masahiro Kawai moderated the seminar. See his paper and presentation.
- Asia Economic Monitor December 2006 Update08 December 2006"With the external environment likely to be somewhat less supportive, and growth in Japan and the PRC also moderating, average GDP growth in East Asia is forecast to slow from a postcrisis peak of 4.9% this year to a still robust 4.4% in 2007". This is according to the Asia Economic Monitor launched at a news conference in Hong Kong, China yesterday. Read the news release and the complete report.
