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ESCAP Studies in Trade and Investment
This series focuses on developments in international and intra-regional trade, as well as economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific, as curated by researchers on the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
ISSN (online):
24140953
Language:
English
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Sustainable Development Goals
Subject
Publication date
Investment Facilitation for Sustainable Development within the Context of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, the ASEAN Investment Facilitation Framework and the WTO Draft Investment Facilitation Framework for Development
Mar 2023
Book
This report analyses investment facilitation commitments for sustainable development within the context of the the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) the ASEAN Investment Facilitation Framework (AIFF) and the WTO Draft Investment Facilitation Framework for Development. While the potential role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in promoting sustainable development is well recognised the report reveals that significant gaps exist in these instruments with respect to linkages between investment facilitation and sustainable development. In light of the gaps identified the report puts forward a package of recommendations to help policymakers formulate FDI policies and guide investment promotion agencies (IPAs) to better promote and facilitate FDI for sustainable development.
Policy Approaches to Direct Digital Frontier Technologies Towards Inclusive and Sustainable Development
Apr 2022
Book
During the COVID-19 pandemic digital frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data analytics amongst others have been mobilized to fight against the pandemic. But it is also important that digital technologies serve the needs of the Sustainable Development Goals. This report reviews the status of digital frontier technologies in the Asia-Pacific region. It stresses that the policy framework for the next generation of technology and innovation should focus on creating an enabling environment for digital frontier technologies to positively impact economy society and environment; and to reduce inequalities.
Foreign Direct Investment and Sustainable Development in International Investment Governance
Mar 2020
Book
Foreign direct investment (FDI) is a principal means of financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the corresponding 17 Sustainable Development Goals. FDI’s potential contributions to sustainable development in Asia-Pacific can only be realized if the right conditions and policies are in place and if both the quantity and quality of FDI to from and within the region increase. This requires not only identifying and prioritizing FDI projects in key sustainable development sectors - such as renewable energy education health water and sanitation etc. - but also developing and operationalizing FDI policies and legal and regulatory frameworks at national and international levels that maximize the sustainable development potential of FDI in local economies. This publication sets explores the latter point further by focusing on two emerging and important issues related to international investment governance: sustainable development-orientation in international investment agreements (IIA) and the coherence between IIAs and national investment laws in Asia-Pacific. This publication comprises of three chapters. The first chapter sets the scene analyses recent FDI trends both in terms of flows of inward and outward investment as well as FDI policymaking and international investment governance; the second chapter provides an in depth analysis of the extent to which the bilateral investment treaties of Asia-Pacific least developed countries and landlocked developing countries are oriented towards sustainable development; and the third and final chapter examines the extent of coherence between the IIA regimes and national frameworks for investment in Thailand and Viet Nam. The chapters in this publication offer promising signs that the momentum for and political will to reform the IIA regime to make it more sustainable development-oriented and coherent are picking up and ESCAP stands ready to further support its member States in their efforts to achieve both.
Services and Global Value Chains
The Asia-Pacific Reality
Nov 2018
Book
The study on ‘Services and Global Value Chains: Asia-Pacific reality’ reviews the facts and issues related to the roles of services in global value chains. It provides the framework to understand and assess the linkages among different services as well as between services and manufacturing industries. It offers evidence on the contributions of services in the global value chains in Asia-Pacific region and the rest of the world. It also includes case studies about the services inputs to the value chains of specific industries in the region. The study also reviews current policy issues related to trade in services. Ultimately the study provides lessons for Asia-Pacific economies which see services and participation in GVCs as important pathways toward sustainable development.
Trade Facilitation and Paperless Trade
State of Play and the Way Forward for Asia and the Pacific
Jul 2016
Book
This book features the results of the 2015 UNRC Joint Survey on Trade Facilitation and Paperless Trade Implementation for the Asia-Pacific Region and incorporates them into an econometric analysis estimating the impact of trade facilitation on trade costs. It shows that there is a strong negative relationship between Asia-Pacific countries’ international trade costs and their level of trade facilitation implementation. Reducing trade costs is essential for developing economies to participate in international production networks and effectively use trade as an engine of growth and sustainable development. One effective way to reduce trade costs is to tackle non-tariff barriers and address regulatory procedures and documentation requirements. Trade facilitation including paperless trade has taken increasing importance as evidenced by the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement reached in December 2013 as well as the growing number of regional and subregional initiatives aimed at facilitating the electronic exchange of trade related information and documents along international supply chains.
What the ASEAN Economic Community Will Mean for Businesses
A Look at the Case of Myanmar
Jun 2016
Book
With the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) coming into effect the main purpose of this publication is to serve as a resource to businesses particularly in Myanmar and the other CLMV countries in navigating the coming changes. The central conclusion of this guidebook is that despite the numerous opportunities the AEC will provide to the private sector the reality for most CLMV businesses is that they will need to focus at least initially primarily on remaining competitive domestically in a more open and regionally integrated environment. This is due to several disadvantages they face in comparison to companies from the more economically powerful countries in the region. This includes underdeveloped domestic and cross-border infrastructure less competitive human resources lower quality technology and equipment and a more challenging business environment.
Responsible Business and Sustainable Investment in the Natural Resources Sector in Asia and the Pacific
May 2016
Book
Natural resources represent a large share of FDI inflows to the Asia-Pacific region. Covered in this study are oil gas mining hydropower and large tract plantations such as palm oil and rubber (but not agriculture). These sectors share a number of common features relating both to the nature and the social and environmental impacts of FDI. Growing worldwide demand for these finite resources has made them increasingly attractive investment opportunities. Over the past few years ESCAP has been actively working to support increased implementation of more inclusive and sustainable business practices in the Asia and Pacific region. This study builds on this work by providing a review of the issues challenges instruments and tools related to responsible business and sustainable FDI in the natural resources sector in the Asia-Pacific region. The ultimate objective of the study is to promote FDI that brings a satisfactory return on investment for the business or investor and a positive social return on investment for the host country whilst ensuring environmental sustainability.
Enhancing Regional Connectivity: Towards a Regional Arrangement for the Facilitation of Cross-Border Paperless Trade
May 2016
Book
Current implementation of paperless trade systems in the Asia-Pacific region focuses on application to domestic parts of trade processes while international trade inherently requires trade information to flow across borders along internal supply chains. With current practices of paperless trade implementation limited predominately to the national level the flow of trade information does not continue along an international supply chain; thus it is being disrupted at the borders and results in traders turning to conventional paper-based trade practices. Yet given the fact that those countries in the region that are benefiting from implementing paperless trade only at domestic level it is not difficult to see that efficiency gains will be considerably greater when the flow of trade information is facilitated across borders. This will in turn undoubtedly lead to major improvements in regional connectivity. Comprising three chapters and three annexes this publication comprehensively assesses the current status of paperless trade in the region and beyond elaborates on the need for having regional arrangements to facilitate cross-border paperless trade and provides specific direction and details for putting a practical regional arrangement in place.
International Production Sharing and Exchange Rates of Asian Countries
May 2016
Book
Recent years has seen a sharp increase in the trade of intermediate goods between ASEAN countries and China reflecting the emergence of China as a regional “assembly centre” and sourcing the bulk of parts and components from countries in South-East and North-East Asia in the production of final goods for export to the United States and the European Union. This expansion of trade in intermediates is closely linked to the spread of international production networks (IPNs) in Asia. The expansion raises important new analytical and policy challenges generating rapidly growing literature. This study focuses on how new patterns of production and trade influence the effects of exchange rates on international trade flows of manufactured goods and draws attention to several ways in which IPNs have altered the nature of international production and trade.
Reducing Trade Costs In Asia-Pacific Developing Countries
May 2016
Book
This publication evaluates the current level of trade costs in the Asia-Pacific region and outlines recent evidence with regard to the impacts of various trade facilitation measures in reducing trade costs. Part I provides an overview of trade costs in Asia and the Pacific based on the most recent update of the ESCAP-World Bank Trade Cost Database. Policies and factors affecting international trade costs are identified. Key findings and implications from a micro-level analysis of trade procedures in a wide range of Asia-Pacific developing economies are presented. Highlights and recommendations from some of the most recent ESCAP studies on trade facilitation and trade costs in Asia-Pacific are also summarized. Part II features abbreviated versions of five individual ESCAP studies summarized in Part I.
Regional Integration and Labour Mobility
Linking Trade, Migration and Development
May 2016
Book
This paper published as part of the ESCAP series Studies in Trade and Investment explores the linkages between trade labour mobility and development in the Asia-Pacific region. The paper moves from an analysis of recent trends in regional labour mobility through an examination of the connections between trade migration and development. Finally it considers how migration could be better governed at the multilateral regional and bilateral levels. A central theme of the paper is that when properly governed labour mobility can deliver large and sustained development gains. Improving cross-border labour market access particularly for people from developing countries therefore needs higher prioritization by regional policymakers. At the same time the concerns of receiving country populations around higher levels of immigration also need to be addressed. Striking this balance will require in particular the expansion and further adoption of co-operative agreements between sending and receiving countries which provide labour market access in return for more cooperation in migration management and enforcement.
Least Developed Countries and Trade
Challenges of Implementing the Bali Package
Dec 2015
Book
After more than a decade of negotiations the Ninth Ministerial Conference held in Bali in 2013 brought reprieve for the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). The Ministerial Declaration that was agreed on known as “Bali Package” intends to help streamline trade procedures through trade facilitation measures as well as provide developing countries with more options on food security. The objective Is to boost least developed countries (LDC) trade through special provisions known as “LDC Package” which comprises two parts. Part I relates to TRIPS e-commerce small economies Aid-for-Trade and trade and transfer of technology. Part II includes selected items from the original DDA that States agreed on.
Business and Development in Myanmar
A Policy Handbook for Private Sector Development
Dec 2015
Book
This handbook is to provide policymakers business communities development organizations and other interested parties with a thorough overview of the private sector environment in Myanmar today. It outlines the challenges faced by businesses elaborates on the nature of the challenges and why they are significant and offers a set of recommendations to improve in order to foster greater development of the private sector and the country as a whole. It is important to note that much of the excitement surrounding Myanmar stems from its 2011 shift towards greater economic openness to the rest of the world. Moreover the upcoming ASEAN Economic Community 2015 is also likely to have a tremendous impact on the private sector in Myanmar. Hopefully this publication can serve as a reference for those seeking such information and it can provide a wide-ranging understanding of the private sector’s current situation and how to help provide it with an equally-promising future.
From Corporate Social Responsibility to Corporate Sustainability
Moving the Agenda Forward in Asia and the Pacific
Dec 2013
Book
This publication looks at recent developments in corporate social responsibility (CSR) with particular attention to the growing role of impact investment and the need for greater convergence of global CSR instruments and provides recommendations to policymakers to enhance the adoption of CSR as an integral part of business strategy and operations. Increasingly companies are adopting sustainable business practices as an integral element of their corporate strategies going beyond the traditional interpretation of CSR and engage in social or impact investment and/or play active roles in development cooperation including the provision of disaster relief and humanitarian assistance. Various global CSR instruments and sustainability frameworks such as the Global Compact Global Reporting Initiative and ISO 26000 have been in existence for some time and have been increasingly adopted by many companies usually the bigger transnational corporations (TNCs).
Facilitating Agricultural Trade in Asia and the Pacific
Dec 2011
Book
The Asia-Pacific region is both a major consumer and producer of agricultural products. Its growth in both imports and exports is accelerating but not to the potential. There is significant opportunity in this region to expand agro-trade especially due to population growth dietary change of consumers and trade of high-value products. This publication examines a number of constraints that act as barriers to realizing the trade potential of the Asia-Pacific region: cumbersome trade procedures inadequate compliance to product standards poor trade logistics and lack of financing for agricultural trade. Some Asia-Pacific countries have adopted effective measures to deal with the problems presented. Still many countries in this region lag behind in facilitating agricultural trade and will need to adopt similar measures.
Trade Facilitation in Asia and the Pacific
An Analysis of Import and Export Processes
Dec 2011
Book
This book offers a synthesis of the results and implications from a series of business process analyses of procedures involved in importing and exporting goods to and from selected Asian countries. It aims at deepening the understanding of the nature and significance of the procedural bottlenecks associated with intra-regional trade. It provides a unique set of micro-level information on the time and cost of trade procedures complementing the more macro-level and cross-country trade facilitation indicators already available in the literature. It will be of interest to those in charge of analyzing or improving trade transaction efficiency in developing countries.
Enabling Environment for the Successful Integration of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Global Value Chains
Country Studies of Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka
Dec 2011
Book
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Asia and are effective job creators and income generators. In addition SMEs play a key role in poverty reduction and inclusive economic growth. However SMEs in the subregion often face considerable resource constraints and have limited capabilities to compete effectively in global and regional markets. Recent experience from a wide range of the Asia-Pacific countries particularly from South-East Asia and China indicates that domestic SMEs can access international markets through global (and regional) value chains (GVCs). This publication aims to propose practical policy interventions for improving business environments by targeting three South Asian countries — Bangladesh Nepal and Sri Lanka to facilitate SMEs’ access to global and regional markets through GVCs. Sector based value chain approach was adapted to focus on a few product groups with high export potentials: plastic goods from Bangladesh; coffee and ginger for Nepal and rubber and electronic products in Sri Lanka. National action plans and a subregional programme together with operational strategies including needed institutional framework among stakeholders for those products were developed and presented.
India: A New Player in Asian Production Networks?
Dec 2011
Book
While the IPN phenomenon has accelerated trade and investment linkages between countries in East and South-East Asia the remainder of the region has not matched those countries in this process. The objective of this study is to explore the reasons for this by using India’s performance in the Asian IPNs as a case study for other countries that are trailing behind in this area. The study seeks to identify the reasons why India has performed below its potential in this new form of international division of labour even though that country possess several supportive factors including: (a) the sheer size of the economy and population; (b) a large pool of engineers; (c) relatively sound intellectual property protection; and (d) an increasingly open trade and investment climate resulting from progressive economic reforms.
Promoting Sustainable and Responsible Business in Asia and the Pacific
The Role of Government
Dec 2011
Book
This policy-oriented paper identifies initiatives that policy-makers in the Asia Pacific region should duly consider for promoting CSR practices at both the regional and national levels and spanning domestic SMEs to large MNEs. The initiatives are diverse in focus and scope although there is one common denominator: virtually none can be enacted by government alone. Any initiative to promote sustainable and responsible business needs to be sustainable in itself and that in turn necessitates the active engagement and tangible inputs of the business community.
Trade beyond Doha
Prospects for the Asia-Pacific Least Developed Countries
Dec 2011
Book
Focusing on the Least Developed Countries located in the Asia-Pacific region this study explores the impact of different approaches available to the LDCs and their partners in improving their developmental prospects through enhanced trade. It presents trade related data of the 14 LDCs and the linkage between trade and economic development. It analyses market access and studies increasing protectionist measures faced by LDCs during the crisis period. It explores reciprocal trade liberalization policies (bilateral plurilateral and multilateral) from various perspectives in order to better understand their differences interaction and impact on LDCs and more developed countries. It also discusses possible options to improve the capacity of LDCs to tap their trade potential and integrate more effectively into the global economy.
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