Over the past half-century, countries of Asia and the Pacific have pursued a development strategy based on globalized trade and transport. Many low-income countries, including those that are least developed, have banked their future on securing their place in global value chains. Containment measures for the COVID-19 pandemic, however, have exposed vulnerabilities in supply chains and connectivity, especially for products made by a single source or reliant on complex supply chains. As the costs of these disruptions mount, a refreshed debate about the shortcomings of globalization, is taking shape.
This session of the Regional Conversation series among high-level Government officials, thought leaders and stakeholders will explore the challenges and opportunities for economies in the region as they recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and re-establish supply chains and connectivity. The session will focus on the following:
- How will regional supply chains change in the post-COVID-19 world? How can government policies ensure a role for countries in Asia and the Pacific in these supply chains?
- Is there a trade-off between efficiency and resilience of supply chains?
- What can be done to establish trade and transport connectivity that is more resilient? How can digitalization and frontier technologies help?
- How should regional trade and transport cooperation evolve in order to better support countries of Asia and the Pacific? How can we maximize the potential of agreements already in place?
- How can we incorporate sustainable principles so that we build back better?
Opening remarks:
- Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of ESCAP
- Dr. Young Tae Kim, Secretary-General, International Transport Forum
Eminent speakers:
- H.E Mr. Baimishev Ruslan Nuryshevich, Vice Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development, Kazakhstan
- H.E. Ms. Apiradi Tantraporn, Senator and former Minister of Commerce, Thailand
- H.E. Ms. Mere Falemaka, Ambassador, Permanent Delegation of the Pacific Island Forum to the World Trade Organization
- Dr. Stephane Graber, Director General, FIATA
- Mr. Christopher Findlay, Honorary Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
- Ms. Sanjam Sahi Gupta, Director, Sitara Shipping Ltd., Mumbai, India and the founder member of WISTA
- Ms. Pamela Mar, Executive Vice President – Knowledge and Applications, Fung Academy, Fung Group, Hong Kong
Moderator:
- Ms. Mia Mikic, Director, Trade, Investment and Innovation Division, ESCAP
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