Inception Meeting on Infrastructure and Regional Cooperation Project

Purpose

The inception meeting is intended to organize the core study group for this project and conduct a brainstorming session. Each of the discussion paper authors and chapter writers will be asked to prepare a 3-5 page outline for his/her respective paper. The authors’ ideas and outline of their reports, including possible sources of data, will be presented, discussed, and refined during the workshop so that each author has a good understanding of the goals of the chapter as well as how it fits in with the themes of the overall study.

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Background

Infrastructure plays an important role in promoting rapid economic growth in Asia and makes growth more inclusive by sharing the benefits of growth with poorer groups and communities, particularly in remote areas and small and landlocked countries. Infrastructure can also facilitate the access of the poor to basic services and help to increase their income generating capacity. The rapid economic growth in several major developing countries has caused huge and visible pressure on infrastructure. Lack of adequate infrastructure can hinder potential growth, weaken international competitiveness and adversely affect poverty reduction efforts. Regional cooperation can play a crucial role in meeting the future need for infrastructure in Asian and Pacific countries through formulating, financing and implementing regional infrastructure projects and maintaining existing infrastructure.

This study will examine the key issues and challenges facing cross-border infrastructure development in Asia in its ongoing efforts to support regional cooperation, and will serve as a definitive knowledge product primarily for policymakers in the region.

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Outputs

• Revised outlines of papers
• Policy issues that need to be studied empirically
• Work program

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Participants

Participation is by invitation only.

• Researchers/writers of the discussion papers and book chapters
• Working Group consisting of ADB staffs
• External Advisory Board made up of regional experts
• Experts from the academic community and private sector