Fisheries and tourism among most promising sectors to support Pacific SIDS recovery

Small island developing States (SIDS) in the region must take better advantage of their vast ocean resources and blue economy to accelerate sustainable development, as the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic are threatening to reverse years of development gains, warns a new ESCAP report. To counter these challenges, the latest edition of the Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Development Report, entitled Leveraging Ocean Resources for Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States, puts forth policy recommendations to strengthen the fisheries and tourism sectors as vital drivers for progress towards sustainable development. “Small island developing States can do more to embrace their blue economy to foster their sustainable development. Although fisheries and tourism are being significantly affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they remain among the most important sectors for many SIDS in terms of their contribution to the economy and their importance for livelihoods,” said ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.
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Highlights

Opportunity In Crisis: Regional Forum on Business and Human Rights Seeks High Road in Post COVID-19 Recovery

The Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum cautioned that there cannot be a return to business as usual in the Asia-Pacific region during post COVID-19 recovery. The regional heads of six leading international organizations urged a focus on human and labour rights, the environment and the vulnerable - including children, women and indigenous peoples - when redesigning public and business policy responses and as global economic activity resumes. Over three days, the event took stock of the virus’ impact and discuss challenges and opportunities for advancing responsible business and human rights in the region.
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ADB, ESCAP Step up Cooperation to Help Asia-Pacific Address COVID-19 Crisis

During an engaging meeting on 3 June, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masatsugu Asakawa and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana committed to enhancing cooperation to help the region as it addresses the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. “Supporting our member countries build back better after COVID-19 lies at the heart of both our agendas,” said Ms. Alisjahbana. “I am looking forward to deepening our cooperation to get our region’s economies and societies back on their feet in a way that protects our region’s precious environmental resources – very much including our oceans.”
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Greater Investments in Statistics Key to Ensure No One, Nowhere Is Left Behind Post COVID-19

Increasing investments in official statistics and empowering users will be crucial to support post-pandemic socio-economic recovery in the region, underscored delegates at the Asia-Pacific Statistics Week. More than 1000 participants in the forum, which among others, discussed empowering national statistical systems to meet urgent and evolving statistical needs by strengthening statistical skills, modernizing statistical business processes, legal and institutional structures, and engaging users.
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ESCAP And Good Return Team Up to Provide a Financial Injection for Women SMEs During COVID-19

A partnership between ESCAP and Good Return is supporting women SMEs during COVID-19 in accessing capital to support their business operations by creating a multi-country credit guarantee scheme across Cambodia, Nepal, Fiji and Samoa. International impact investors will be providing the funds to be guaranteed to partner financial institutions. The guarantee fund is particularly targeted towards women owned and/or led SMEs. Good Return, with ESCAP’s support, will work directly with financial institutions to undertake gender self-assessments to assess the institutions internal structures, rules and policies - as well as financial product offerings – to ensure the institution is able to serve its women’s clients appropriately and with tailored products and services which meet women SME’s needs.
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Development partnership between ESCAP and ASEAN reaffirmed in the wake of COVID-19

On 4 June, the Government of Thailand and ESCAP co-organized the 4th High-Level Brainstorming Dialogue on Enhancing Complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 Agenda. The meeting was co-chaired by Foreign Minister of Thailand Don Pramudwinai and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana. The Dialogue consolidated joint efforts in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and building a people-centred ASEAN Community to accelerate development gains amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Our response to the pandemic cannot be delinked from actions on the SDGs. The ASEAN-UN Plan of Action 2021-2025 is an important opportunity to strengthen our comprehensive partnership and update emerging areas of cooperation such as gender mainstreaming, cyber-security and safe online environments and climate action,” said Ms. Alisjahbana.
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Ocean action goes full speed ahead

UN DESA, in cooperation with ESCAP mobilized stakeholders in the Asia-Pacific region to share information and collect proposals on how to keep the momentum towards ocean action and stakeholder engagement ahead of the UN Ocean Conference. “In the name of our children, I urge Governments, development banks, agencies and corporations to think of our long-term responsibilities & invest in clean, blue-green infrastructure for a better future for people and planet,” said Ambassador Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean.
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Joint UN Call for Smooth Transit and Transport Facilitation To and From Landlocked Developing Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic is the defining global health crisis of our time. Nowhere are the risks of this health crisis turning into a development crisis higher than in the most vulnerable countries in the world. Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) are amongst the most vulnerable countries facing binding constraints to growth and development. ESCAP, along with five other UN agencies have called for facilitating smooth movement of goods and for collaboration to keep cross-border transport corridors and regional transport networks open as much as possible, while protecting public health.
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Clean energy partnerships strengthened for energy transition

The 15th Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF), organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), met to link diverse stakeholders from across Asia and the globe, test out new ways of exchanging information and interacting and to accelerate progress toward a clean energy transition in the region, even during a global pandemic. “There is growing urgency to address climate change by accelerating the clean energy transition within COVID-19 recovery plans. ESCAP is fully committed to encouraging and supporting stronger regional partnerships in delivering solution-oriented strategies,” said ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana.
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Deep Tech for Good initiative accelerates AI for sustainable development

ESCAP has joined strategic partners in the Deep Tech for Good project, which aims to convene global leaders across the public and private sectors committed to harnessing science and technology for social and economic good. “The Deep Tech for Good initiative is a partnership between government, private sector, academic, philanthropic and multilateral organisations. My hope is that this partnership develops and scales effective tech solutions to sustainable development challenges, and demonstrates how multi-stakeholder tech collaborations can save and change lives,” said Mia Mikic, Director of Trade, Investment and Innovation, ESCAP.
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Hackathon streamlines flow of supply chains during times of crisis

In support of “building back better” after COVID-19, a policy hackathon gathered inputs to support developing provisions for inclusion in trade and economic partnership agreements, ultimately to guide national trade policies during and after a crisis or pandemic. This United Nations initiative, coordinated by ESCAP, is implemented jointly by UNCTAD and the five United Nations Regional Commissions, in cooperation with the World Trade Organization, CUTS International and other organizations from civil society, academia and the private sector.
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Community-driven solutions protect older persons amid COVID-19

A webinar co-organized by HelpAge International, ESCAP, UNFPA, the ASEM Global Ageing Center (AGAC) and the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) shared examples and good practice of how communities are coming together to support each other and respond to the needs of older persons during COVID-19. As COVID-19 continues to cause untold damage across the world, older persons have been severely affected by the related economic turmoil and lockdowns. In this context, it is important to identify vulnerable persons, assess their needs and find innovative, cost-effective short- and long-term solutions.
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United Nations launches new energy progress report and regional SDG7 policy briefs

This year’s edition of Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, along with a series of Policy Briefs on SDG 7 and its interlinkages with other SDGs provides the most comprehensive review at the world’s progress towards global energy targets on access to electricity, clean cooking, renewable energy and energy efficiency. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7: Affordable and Clean Energy is at the core of the 2030 Agenda as access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is interlinked to many of the SDGs and remains at the heart of COVID-19 responses.
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Safe and Seamless Transport Connectivity advanced along the Asian Highway Network

The Expert Group Meeting on “Safe and Seamless Transport Connectivity along the Asian Highway Network during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic” was organized virtually on 25 June. The meeting acted as a platform for regional dialogue on Asia-Pacific transport connectivity and the COVID-19 pandemic. Countries along the Asian Highway Network shared information and national experiences, while identifying scope for strengthened collective actions in dealing with the pandemic and its aftermath, as well as reflecting on lessons learned in the regional agenda for sustainable transport connectivity.
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Stats Café brews a wealth of data expertise

Timely and reliable data is more crucial than ever before in the current pandemic. ESCAP’s recent Stats Café series brought together data experts from the UN and organizations around the region to explore topics including how to access and use subnational population estimates, rapid assessment surveys on the impact of COVID-19, the impact of the pandemic on household surveys and more.
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Agricultural mechanization advances resilient road to recovery

A webinar organized by ESCAP’s Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization (CSAM) discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the agricultural sector in Asia and the Pacific, and how the region can support recovery and build resilience to future crises through sustainable mechanization. Opening the webinar, Deputy Executive Secretary of ESCAP Kaveh Zahedi said, “As is so often the case with crisis, the pandemic has hit the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized disproportionately hard, depriving people of lives as well as livelihood. Sustainable agricultural mechanization is among the solutions that can strengthen the resilience of the farming community to crisis.” Experts from Thailand and Sri Lanka presented country-level perspectives on the impact of the pandemic on agriculture.
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Azerbaijan accedes Intergovernmental Agreement on Dry Ports

Following the completion of the accession procedures, Azerbaijan became the 15th Party to the Intergovernmental Agreement on Dry Ports. The Intergovernmental Agreement on Dry Ports is aimed at promoting and developing dry ports of international importance as one of the means to establish an international integrated intermodal transport and logistics system within Asia and with its neighbouring regions. It was developed under the auspices of ESCAP and entered into force on 23 April 2016.
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Islamic Republic of Iran becomes party to the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade

The Islamic Republic of Iran is the latest country in Asia and the Pacific to ratify the Framework Agreement. The inclusive and enabling Framework Agreement effectively builds upon the large number of bilateral and subregional paperless trade initiatives, ensuring greater harmonization and interoperability between systems and promoting adoption of international standards - with potential to cut trade costs by 25 per cent and make contactless trade a reality where supply chains are resilient even in the time of pandemics such as COVID-19.
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Increased appetite for economic statistics during pandemic

The Steering Group for the Regional Programme for the Improvement of Economic Statistics in Asia and the Pacific met on 19 June. Representatives from the Asia-Pacific region, the Asian Development Bank and the Pacific Community reviewed and reflected on the progress of the programme and made decisions on its programme of work. Members agreed to intensify advocacy and dissemination of the programme results over the next six months in the wake of increased demand for economic statistics in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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APNETT Plans Research on Key Emerging Energy Issues

On 2 June, members of the Asia-Pacific Network of Energy Think-Tanks (APNETT) met to discuss the network’s Terms of Reference and ESCAP’s plans for two key pieces of research: understanding the impacts of COVID-19 on the energy transition and managing the associated risks and opportunities; and planning for and supporting the phase-out of coal across the region.
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Around the Region

Policy dialogues highlight subregional perspectives on Economic and Social Survey

Following the launch of this year’s 2020 Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP held subregional discussions on the key messages of the flagship report. The virtual discussions featured presentations on the findings of the Survey, which highlight that there is a need to move away from a development model that solely promotes economic growth. Participants in each discussion then zoomed in on major sustainable development challenges and policy options in the subregions, including those created by and relating to COVID-19.
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Bangladesh confronts COVID-19 in path to graduation

ESCAP’s Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia (SSWA) and the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in Bangladesh co-organized a webinar to discuss the way forward for Bangladesh’s graduation from least-developed country (LDC) amid the COVID-19 crisis. Bangladesh has already fulfilled the graduation criteria in 2018, but COVID threatens to reverse economic progress and create stress on the nation’s economy. Panelists discussed a wide range of socio-economic impacts and other challenges for Bangladesh that will impinge on its sustainable graduation process. The panelists included experts from Centre for Policy Dialogue, Dhaka; Bangladesh Rural Advancement Centre (BRAC), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Association, the World Bank Country Office.
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Expert Opinion

Innovative investments show hopeful signs for post-COVID Pacific

The economic and social impacts of COVID-19 in Asia-Pacific small island developing States (SIDS) mean that we must invest in essential sectors for their development, writes ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana in a new op-ed. While the tourism and fisheries sectors will remain key drivers of sustainable development in Asia-Pacific SIDS, innovative mechanisms like green taxes and advanced data sharing can enhance their resilience, according to the Asia-Pacific Countries with Special Needs Development Report: Leveraging Ocean Resources for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. As part of post COVID-19 recovery, new foundations for sustainable tourism and fisheries in Asia-Pacific SIDS must be built.

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We Should Not Aim to Return to Normal

A return to pre-pandemic normality may seem appealing, yet we should remember what normal was, penned ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana in a new joint op-ed with UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen. Normal was characterized by fossil fuel dependence, climate change and threats to wildlife. Unless we aspire to a better normal with recovery, we are treating the symptom, not the disease. We must build back better than before, especially for our environment.

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COVID-19 helps us understand the value of staying connected

As COVID-19 lockdowns turned our physical lives into a virtual reality almost overnight, digital connectivity has taken on a compelling new meaning in the region, writes ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana in an opinion piece for UNCTAD. Moving forward in the “Decade of Action”, this digital reality is a once in a lifetime opportunity to rethink our material-intensive consumption and production patterns and help us transition to a more decarbonized and sustainable economic model. Working as one UN family we must set ambitious and measurable goals for ensuring meaningful universal connectivity.

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TIME AND TIDE WAIT FOR NO MAN

Unsustainable growth patterns have exacerbated the risks of climate change in the Asia-Pacific region. The exposure of critical infrastructure in high-risk areas raises the cost of climate change. To build resilience, both monetary investments and policy actions are required. However, time, tide and climate change wait for no man. It's time to move towards the development approach that prioritizes people and the planet.

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WHY EMBRACING YOGA IS KEY TO SUSTAINABLE LIVING

When seeking ways to promote and adopt sustainable habits and lifestyles, the practice of yoga may hold some precious keys to help overcome what many environmentalists consider to be unsustainable and harmful behaviours. One underlying message of the cross-cutting 2030 Agenda is one of our shared humanity, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness. Read why the ‘universal appeal’ of yoga, its holistic approach to health and well-being led to the UN General Assembly proclaiming 21 June as the International Day of Yoga.

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A POST PANDEMIC WORLD NEEDS SMART AND GREEN TRANSPORT

Under the COVID-19 pandemic, countries across the globe are implementing measures such as social distancing, quarantines and lockdowns, which have had an unintended positive effect on the environment—a reduction in air pollution. Some are calling the COVID-19 pandemic as the "largest-scale experiment" ever into global air quality. How then can we build on these results and keep the momentum going? Personal mobility powered by electricity from renewable energy offer opportunities to offset carbon footprints in the transport sector.

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HOW TO RAISE $200 BILLION ANNUALLY TO FINANCE COVID-19 RECOVERY IN ASIA-PACIFIC

Taxes are the primary source for government spending on public services and remain important in raising revenue to finance post-COVID-19 recovery. Unfortunately, trade mis-invoicing is a common occurrence, and some claim this has been the largest avenue of illicit financial flows. To solve the problem and enhance cross-border information exchange, countries may consider promoting transparent trade data and joining the Framework Agreement on Facilitation of Cross-border Paperless Trade in Asia and the Pacific, which is the most recent UN treaty in the area of trade and development, adopted by the ESCAP.

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HOW MUCH DO ASIA-PACIFIC COUNTRIES INVEST IN SDG-RELATED PRIORITIES?

Achieving a goal requires dedicating adequate resources. The Asia-Pacific region requires an additional investment of $1.5 trillion per year for achieving the SDGs. ESCAP has just released the SDG Investment Trends dashboard on the SDG Gateway to analyse how countries are investing in SDG-related priorities. To mitigate the adverse impacts of COVID-19, Asia-Pacific countries have deployed a range of containment measures and fiscal, monetary, and trade policy measures, as highlighted in ESCAP's COVID-19 Policy Response Tracker.

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HOW CAN BLOCKCHAIN ACCELERATE SDG 7 IMPLEMENTATION?

The T77 development in Bangkok is home to the world's largest blockchain-based peer-to-peer (P2P) solar power trading project. This project inspired the Thai Government to consider further opening the country's energy market to allow private electricity trading. T77 represents an increasing number of sustainable energy projects applying blockchain technology across Asia and the Pacific. To accelerate the use of blockchain in support of sustainable energy and SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, more quality pilot projects are needed to inform policymakers about the benefits of blockchain technology and incentivize more coherent regulation.

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A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITION IN PAKISTAN AMID COVID-19

Not undermining the challenges posed by COVID-19, there is an opportunity at hand to reconsider and reorient development priorities for a sustainability transition. A confluence of both demand and supply-side shocks offers a unique opportunity to reshape production and consumption by investing fiscal resources and leveraging private investment towards more sustainable avenues. Only a sincere effort to push these messages could help the country's transition towards sustainability. Pakistan is incentivizing sustainable value chains and advocating a behavioral change for sustainable consumption.

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IS BIG DATA THE SOLUTION TO PRODUCE OFFICIAL STATISTICS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC?

The need for high quality and timely data is more urgent than ever during COVID-19, but at the same time some of the ‘usual ways’ for producing official statistics have faced challenges. The present difficulties with traditional data collections, especially face-to-face surveys, have highlighted what statisticians have known for a while – new methods and data sources will be the key to our futures. COVID-19 therefore gives National Statistical Systems the impetus to adapt and fast-pace the move towards more innovative and non-traditional data sources, often labelled as ‘big data’.

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Coming up at ESCAP