Inter-regional Cooperation and the Post 2015 Development Agenda: Perspectives from Asia and the Pacific Shun-ichi Murata Deputy Executive Secretary of.

Inter-regional Cooperation and the Post 2015 Development

Agenda: Perspectives from Asia and the Pacific

Shun-ichi MurataDeputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP

UN Charter

Article 55:The United Nations shall promote: Higher standards of living, full employment, and

conditions of economic and social progress and development;

Solutions of international economic, social, health, and related problems; and international cultural and educational cooperation, and;

Universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.

Article 56:All Members pledge themselves to take joint and separate action in co-operation with the Organization for the achievement of the purposes set forth in Article 55.

Rise of Asia-Pacific

Real per capita income

1947(USD)

2012(USD)

Sri Lanka 91 1,884Philippines 88 1,501

India 43 1,107Indonesia 35 1,732

China 23 3,348Japan Less than 100 36,938USA 1,269 43,063UK 660 37,849

Source: Economic and Social Surveys of Asia and the Pacific

Most dynamic region

Real GDP growth by regions of the world

a: Members of the Economic Commission Europe

Actual and projected shares of world economic output, 1990, 2010 & 2030 Per cent of world GDP, PPP (1990 Geary-Kheamis dollars)

The South rises

South-South share in total world trade and southern trade, 1995-2011 Per cent of merchandise trade exports

South-South trade + otherexchanges rising with growing synergies

Developing Africa’s exports

Inter-regional South-South trade has also expanded rapidly in recent years

Share of Outward FDI Flows from Developing Countries in Global FDI Flows

Vibrant South-South trade in services and investment flows

Development assistance flows from non-DAC donors Millions of current USD

Rising South-South development assistance

Total international reserve assets, 1990-2012 Millions of SDRs

Rising South-South potential for financial cooperation

Institutions for cooperationGlobal level country groupings Non-aligned Movement and G-77+China g7+ Group of Fragile States BRICS

Country groupings in Asia and the Pacific ASEAN SAARC Economic Cooperation Organization Shanghai Cooperation Organization Pacific Islands Forum

Challenge for ESCAP and other regional commissions Building on the existing efforts in South-South cooperation Fostering cooperation and coordinated action among sub-

regional groupings, particularly in the context of the UN post-2015 Development Agenda

Development challengesEconomic insecurity 828 million people live on less than $1.25 a day About 900 million live on between $1.25 and $2 a day 563 million are undernourished 1.1 billion are in vulnerable employment

Unsustainable use of natural resources Adverse environmental impacts Increased emissions of greenhouse gases Volatility in commodity prices

Lack of investment in infrastructure Energy, transport and virtual connectivity, urban

development Financing requirement for the region is $ 8 trillion.

Vulnerability to natural disasters Asia-Pacific accounted for 80% of global losses due to

disasters in 2011

The challenge of inequality

The challenge of connectivity Many Asia-Pacific-wide agreements contribute to

increasing physical connectivity Major challenges of connectivity are in energy, water,

communication and people-to-people Key issue for Pacific Island Countries and Landlocked

developing countries of Central Asia “Regional Connectivity for Shared Prosperity” is the

theme of the Commission session in 2014 Connectivity is a key determinant of trade and

economic development, and of regional and inter-regional cooperation

ESCAP and the Post-2015 Development Agenda

Assisting countries in setting a Post-2015 Agenda Stock-taking: assess progress towards internationally

agreed goals, including MDGs Organizing inclusive high-level consultations at the

regional and subregional levels

Means of implementation Development and implementation of regional

agreements on: exchange of experiences, technology transfer, regional integration and financing of development

Providing evidence-based policy options Complementing and connecting global and country-

level programmes of the United Nations Regional approaches to technical cooperation

Challenges for interregional cooperation High trade costs of inter-regional trade because of

geographical distance and poor connectivity, tariff and non-tariff barriers

Few preferential arrangements to promote interregional trade

The need to devise means for exploiting full potential of South-South Cooperation

Danger of replicating centre-periphery type of economic relations between more advanced developing countries and LDCs

Towards a policy frameworkfor South-South cooperation

A policy framework is needed for: Institutional promotion of inter-regional trade and investments Implementing GSTP Sao Paolo Round

Extending the coverage and scope Extending the scope of GSTP to trade in service

South-South investment promotion and protection to facilitate FDI flows

Special promotion of greenfield South-South FDI flows in LDCs Adoption of Duty-Free Quota-Free (DFQF) schemes for LDCs to

enable them to export value-added products Exchanging good practices in South-South cooperation Developing a set of voluntary guidelines to shape South-South

investments and economic relations in an equitable and sustainable manner

Major emerging countries leading by example in terms of good practices

Thank you!

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