Connecting Corridors beyond Borders: Enabling Seamless Connectivity in the BBIN Subregion Trade connectivity is expected to bring economic growth and prosperity and reduce poverty in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal (BBIN). It will strengthen the economies of landlocked Bhutan and Nepal and give BBIN countries greater access to global markets for exports and imports. The Motor Vehicles Agreement will promote containerization of multimodal cargo movement, which will help reduce trade costs. This study identifies eight trade corridors in the BBIN countries and provides details on existing infrastructure, time-cost-distance analysis, and projected sociopolitical impact. Author: CUTS International Year: 2019 Download Tags: BBIN, BBIN Motor Vehicles Agreement, Transport, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal Impact Evaluation of Energy Interventions: A Review of the EvidenceImpact evaluations in the energy sector has so far focused on rural electrification and improved cookstoves. However, most investments have been in power generation and transmission. This energy sector impact evaluation report assesses what has been produced against what might be possible. It summarizes outcomes of 85 impact evaluations of energy interventions in developing countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal. It looks at evidence gaps and proposes future directions for impact evaluations in the energy sector. Author: David A. Raitzer, Nina Blöndal, and Jasmin Sibal Year: 2019 Download Tags: Energy, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India 2018 Development Effectiveness ReviewThis report looks at the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) performance in achieving the goals set out in ADB’s Strategy 2020. In its South Asia operations, ADB supported the linking of countries through transport connectivity. ADB has committed $180 million to rehabilitate the Kanchanpur–Kamala section of the East–West Highway in Nepal to promote safety and transport connectivity. It is also committed to a $150 million project through the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Road Connectivity Investment Program to upgrade a section of the Asian Highway connecting Manipur, India, to Myanmar and construct an international bridge between India and Nepal. Author: Asian Development Bank Year: 2019 Download Tags: ADB, India, Jobs, Myanmar, Nepal, SASEC, Transport, Road Impact Evaluation of Transport Interventions: A Review of the EvidenceDevelopment of transport is integral to the development of economic corridors, regional economic integration, and trade. This publication reviews the impact of 91 transport interventions in developing countries, including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal. It summarizes the project outcomes, identifies evidence gaps, and presents proposals for future directions. Author: David A. Raitzer, Nina Blöndal, and Jasmin Sibal Year: 2019 Download Tags: Bangladesh, Regional Connectivity, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Rail, Road, Transport Renewable Capacity Statistics 2019This report provides renewable energy statistics for 2009–2018. It includes figures on total renewable energy capacity installed and connected by energy source (hydropower, wind energy, solar energy, etc.). It gives figures for capacity per region and per country, including those for Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Author: International Renewable Energy Agency Year: 2019 Download Tags: Renewable Energy, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal Exports to Jobs: Boosting the Gains from Trade in South Asia South Asia’s economy has grown while significantly reducing poverty. Yet concerns persist regarding growing joblessness and poor job quality. This report shows how increasing exports per worker could result in higher wages for skilled workers, while less-skilled and rural workers could benefit from new jobs. To spread benefits from higher exports, policies are needed to raise skills and get women and youth into better jobs. Author: Erhan Artuc, Gladys Lopez-Acevedo, Raymond Robertson, and Daniel Samaan Year: 2019 Download Tags: South Asia, Jobs, Trade ADB Annual Report 2018The Asian Development Bank (ADB) supports cross-border infrastructure to help foster regional cooperation and integration. It is transforming transport corridors into economic corridors, allowing South Asian countries to participate in regional and global value chains and promote agriculture trade. In 2018, ADB committed $150 million to upgrade sections of South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) road corridors in India and Nepal. The investments aim to improve connectivity between Manipur (in India) and Myanmar; build an India–Nepal international bridge; and improve the safety of Nepal’s East–West Highway. ADB also approved a technical assistance project to build institutional capacity and improve expertise of trade facilitation officials in SASEC member countries. Author: Asian Development Bank Year: 2019 Download Tags: Economic Corridor Development, ADB, Energy, India, Nepal, SASEC, Trade Facilitation  Potential Exports and Nontariff Barriers to Trade: Sri Lanka National StudyHow can Sri Lanka address nontariff barriers (NTBs) that hinder growth of its trade with Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, and Nepal? The study examined the impact of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) and technical barriers to trade (TBT)-related nontariff measures enforced by SASEC countries to Sri Lanka’s exports with maximum potential, conducted a national diagnostic audit of the SPS and TBT infrastructure, and identified current SPS and TBT infrastructure capacity constraints. It considered options and opportunities to deal with the identified NTBs, including recommendations to improve Sri Lanka’s SPS–TBT infrastructure, and enhancing efficiency of SPS–TBT-related processes. Findings of the study could help formulate policies, laws, and institutions to address SPS–TBT-related NTBs and promote intraregional trade, as well as provide considerations for bilateral Free Trade Agreement negotiations. Additionally, the study provides traders with a comprehensive coverage of available export opportunities in Sri Lanka, and barriers they could encounter. Author: Asian Development Bank Year: 2019 Download Tags: Sri Lanka, Trade, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Technical Barriers to Trade, Non-Tariff Measures Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2019: Strengthening Disaster ResilienceDeveloping Asia is projected to grow at 5.7% in 2019 and 5.6% in 2020. South Asia is projected to bounce back in 2019 and 2020 from the previous year’s slowdown. India’s growth is expected to pick up to 7.2% in 2019 (from 7.0% in the previous year) on recovery in agriculture and strong domestic demand. Bangladesh is projected to grow by 8.0% in 2019. Bhutan is expecting modest growth while the outlook for Maldives is for growth to moderate. Nepal should expect stable growth in 2019 while Sri Lanka is projected to recover moderately. Inflation in South Asia is projected to rise to 4.7% in 2019. Growth should pick up in Myanmar in Southeast Asia. Author: Asian Development Bank Year: 2019 Download Tags: ADB, South Asia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka Potential Exports and Nontariff Barriers to Trade: Maldives National StudyThis diagnostic study aims to develop a better understanding of how sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS)
measures and technical barriers to trade (TBT) in Maldives negatively affect its trade potential. Selected export products from Maldives that could be traded more within the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) subregion are identified. The impact of SPS and TBT measures applied by importing SASEC member countries on these products are studied to gather possible reasons for consistent low levels of intraregional trade within South Asia, compared to trade with other countries. General and priority recommendations are provided to address the issues. Author: Asian Development Bank Year: 2019 Download Tags: SASEC Vision – MyanmarMyanmar serves as a land bridge between South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia. This book identifies regional and subregional opportunities for Myanmar to harness natural and human resources, industrial potential, and infrastructure connectivity as part of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program. SASEC Vision – Myanmar serves to update the 2017 SASEC Vision document, which articulates shared aspirations of the SASEC countries and sets the path to achieve these through regional collaboration. Author: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation Program Year: 2019 Download Tags: SASEC, Trade Facilitation, Transport, Energy |
