"PRC has announced guidelines that relevant government departments and local governments have to follow to speed private investment in a wider range of key industries, such as public utilities and financial services. Since it has become increasingly evident that the country can no longer rely on the government-led investment boom to sustain economic recovery, policymakers have pinned high hopes on private investment to drive future growth.

Private companies have played an important role in creating jobs, boosting domestic consumption and facilitating economic reforms, but their growth potential has yet to be tapped fully. A surge in private investment is certain to help as state enterprises rein in expansion plans together with a government exit from stimulus policies."

"Pacific islands governments have never seriously looked at business and trade as drivers of development. Thin populations, long distances from trading partners and lack of infrastructure, among other things, have been the all too obvious reasons pointed out for this continuing problem. The emphasis, instead, has almost exclusively been to rely on aid and grants for funding development activity.

While a relook at the whole idea of aid is long overdue and needs a whole new approach to accommodate new realities to be effective, it is also equally important to look at other drivers of development like business and enhance their role by boosting both investment avenues and local and regional capacity toward encouraging private business. Perhaps the biggest promise for business development in the region is poised to come from the natural resources sector."

"A novel approach to arsenic removal could lead to a quick and inexpensive purification of drinking water in developing countries. Scientists have combined the nanocrystals with graphene-based materials to synthesize a new type of magnetite composite that increases adsorption sites for arsenic and makes the nanoparticles more stable in the environment.

The graphene composite is shaken in water for ten minutes, immediately binding to arsenic, which can then be separated from water within a fraction of a minute using handheld magnets or filters, a researcher said. In laboratory tests it took less than a minute to remove arsenic bound to the composite. Within an hour, almost all the poison was removed, leaving the water safe to drink. Work is now underway to make industrial production of the composite economically viable."

"The Thai government could join with the Chinese government to build the country's first high-speed rail network, says Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij. The two countries were looking to cooperate in a government-to-government joint venture to build a high-speed rail line from Bangkok to Rayong on the Eastern Seaboard. The Chinese government would be responsible for capital and investment costs in the rail system, with the Thai side responsible for procuring land.

The high-speed rail program would be a key pillar in the government's plans to improve infrastructure networks, cut logistics costs and strengthen the medium-term competitiveness of the Thai economy. The rail line, which would run 240 kilometers from Makkasan in central Bangkok to Rayong, would likely include four stops and run through Chachoengsao. Total travel time would be only one hour, compared with up to three hours now by road."

"It is no secret that if nothing is done immediately, traffic in Jakarta will come to a standstill in less than 10 years, and yet the authorities seem paralyzed when it comes to coming up with a long-term solution. What is clear is that there is a severe lack of infrastructure, not just in Jakarta but across the country. The long-talked about mass rapid transit system is no nearer to starting than it was 20 years ago.

The city's laudable attempt at developing the TransJakarta busway system has been hindered by financial difficulties, inefficient planning and the general indiscipline of drivers across the city. New roads, and over or underpasses, are desperately needed, but progress is slow and even non-existent. In the absence of any meaningful public transport system, the public has been forced to resort to its own initiative, and for many that translates into buying their own vehicles for their daily commute."

"The Sri Lankan government has decided to set up a dedicated authority to regulate microfinance institutions. This step was taken with a view to make their supervision more effective, a government minister told the media. Microfinance has been identified as one of the vital sectors of the economy because of its contribution to the growth of the rural economy and income generation among the lower classes.

The proposed authority will have the power to issue licenses, register, regulate and supervise microfinance institutions irrespective of whether they are companies, non-governmental organizations or co-operative societies. A large number of microfinance institutions are currently operating in the country without any regulatory or supervisory controls."

"The Kyrgyz Republic's government appealed to an international donors conference for $1.2 billion in aid to rebuild the country after months of political and ethnic violence. Economic growth for this year had been estimated at 5.5 percent before a bloody April uprising that unseated former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, but authorities say the economy is now set to contract by 5 percent.

Poverty is one of the key sources of tension in the Kyrgyz Republic. The country has battled to regain a semblance of stability and continuity since Bakiyev was overthrown amid widespread despair over falling living standards and rampant corruption. The Kyrgyz Republic is also seeking substantial support in restoring its energy infrastructure, as well as revitalizing the banking and agricultural sectors."

"The Philippines plans to sell peso bonds overseas for the first time to fund a record budget deficit this year, seeking to lure investors to new securities after yields on the nation's dollar debt fell to record lows. Investors are expected to buy the global peso debt as the administration of President Benigno Aquino pledges to build more roads, railways and ports to attain the fastest economic growth in three decades by 2011.

The Philippines plans to continue foreign-currency debt sales and offer peso and dollar bonds in exchange for older, shorter-dated debt. The average spread on Philippine dollar bonds has shrunk to 182 basis points, or 1.82 percentage points, above similar maturity treasuries, from 291 a year ago."

"Thailand has emerged almost unscathed from the political crisis in the first half of this year, with the Bank of Thailand revising its economic growth projection close to the International Monetary Fund's 7-8 percent estimate. Anoop Singh, the director of IMF's Asia-Pacific Department, said the strong recovery of the Thai economy reflected the resilience of the country in spite of the global crisis and the political crisis in the first half of the year.

He attributed the strong recovery to the Thai authorities' timely response, both in its fiscal stimulus and an accommodative monetary policy, which has helped keep the growth humming. After the political crisis ended in May, tourism has started to recover while the export sector continues to provide the underpinning growth. Investment is also about to make a comeback."

"The climate, natural resources and relative lack of opportunity at home have impelled generations of able-bodied persons to leave their countries of origin and seek their careers and fortunes abroad. The brain drain, however, is not be the only reason for Bangladesh's plight. But it is certainly a major factor which hampers progress.

Human capital is a strategic resource. Because of the brain drain, it is flowing out of economies like Bangladesh where it can make the greatest contribution to human welfare. Economies already well-supplied with trained, capable, scientific and administrative personnel are the beneficiaries of this brain drain from developing countries."

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