The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised its growth forecast for developing Asia this year on the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and the strength of global export demand, but warned that resurgent virus outbreaks threatened the recovery.China and India are expected to lead the rebound across the vast region stretching from the Cook Islands in the Pacific to Kazakhstan in Central Asia, the lender said Wednesday. The Philippines-based ADB predicted growth of 7.3 percent, compared with

As lockdowns ease in countries across Asia and the Pacific in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing is clear – a return to business as usual is unimaginable in a region that was already off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Coronavirus-ravaged economies across the Asia Pacific will make a "swoosh-shaped" recovery next year, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) forecast Tuesday, but it warned that further restrictions to combat the contagion could derail the region's return to growth.Developing Asia - stretching from the Cook Islands in the Pacific to Kazakhstan in Central Asia - is expected to contract in 2020 for the first time in nearly six decades, throwing tens of millions of people into poverty,

The coronavirus pandemic could cost the global economy US$4.1 trillion as it ravages United States, Europe and other major economies, the Asian Development Bank warned on Friday (3 April).The estimated impact is equivalent to nearly five percent of worldwide output based on a range of scenarios, but the lender said losses from "the worst pandemic in a century" could be higher. "The estimated impact could be an underestimate, as additional channels such as...possible so

While growth in Southeast Asia remains robust, data from the first half of 2019 indicates it has been slower than forecasted. The most recent Asian Development Bank (ADB) data suggests that Southeast Asia has grown less than anticipated, resulting in slight downward revisions to growth forecasts which now stand at 4.8 percent (2019) and 4.9 percent (2020), down from 4.9 percent and 5.0 percent, respectively.

Metro Manila has been found to be the most congested city in developing Asia after a study of 278 cities to measure citywide congestion by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).Congestion arises when demand for travel exceeds the transportation network’s maximum capacity, and the pollution that comes along with it are important issues faced by city planners in ASEAN and abroad.An urban sprawl of 17 cities characterised by outdated infrastructure, a booming economy and an increasing population, Met

Public transparency and accountability are cornerstones of a citizen-centric approach to governance, and while ASEAN countries show some signs of having transparent processes in place, challenges still exist.A citizen-centric approach is one where instead of the bureaucracy second-guessing citizens, they are consulted about their needs and encouraged to participate in policy planning, service designs and deliveries.According to a joint report published this week by the Asian Development Bank

While the Lao PDR government recently called for increased investment in agriculture to boost its export market, there are several issues that have to be tackled before foreign investors come knocking.Speaking to local media earlier this week, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Bounkhuang Khambounheuang, said Cuba and Indonesia expressed interest in importing 100,000 and one million tons of rice respectively, with Vietnam seeking to purchase 500,000 head of livestock.The country,

The ASEAN Post recently published an article entitled “Empty bellies in Lao” which highlighted the serious and persisting issue of malnutrition among Laotian children. One of the main reasons malnutrition has become an issue in Lao for a long time now is that the country is poor.