Cross-Border Infrastructure Management: Managing Regional Public Goods

Post-event Statement

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Purpose

• provide training for policymakers in charge of regional public goods (RPGs) specifically on cross-border infrastructure management in the region
• provide opportunities for learning in the management and skills-acquisition in regional project management and appraisal techniques for cross-border transport infrastructure projects
• introduce best practices in the management of regional public goods and share lessons and experiences,
• strengthen regional development planning and resource allocation and facilitate cross-border management; and
• create a network of governments, international organizations, and private companies to share the information and knowledge on this issue.

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Background

Rapid economic growth and technological advancement provided unprecedented benefits to the Asian region. This also increased the connectivity among the countries in the region and facilitated the transfer of regional public goods (RPGs). Examples of RPGs are as follows: regional infrastructure network, trade facilitation and regional environmental arrangement. However, the provision of regional infrastructure as a means towards regional integration has also its share of disbenefits such as the deterioration of the environmental quality at the macro-level as well as the seeming lack of a systematic methodology in project management and appraisal techniques at the regional level among others. Furthermore, while it is widely recognized that cross-border transport infrastructure and trade facilitation are important, the understanding of the opportunities and the impact for economic growth are still limited. These fundamental issues go beyond national boundaries and must be addressed through coordinated actions to supply RPGs and a strong commitment of the various sectors involved as well as at the different inter-governmental levels. International organizations such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have committed through its various programs and the implementation of the Regional Cooperation and Integration (RCI) strategy. The latter has identified as one of its four pillars the need for “cooperation in regional public goods” provision and management. Moreover, to make regional initiatives and investment projects more relevant and sustainable in Asia and the Pacific, it is critical for policymakers and practitioners to understand the opportunities and impacts as well as build national capacity for managing regional public goods, specifically on cross-border infrastructure management, skills-acquisition in regional project management and appraisal techniques for cross-border transport infrastructure projects, and to share lessons learned and experiences. Thus, this will be the workshop locus.

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Objectives

• This workshop aims to provide opportunities for learning in the management of Regional Public Goods especially on Cross-Border Infrastructure Management, and in relation to other RPGs such as trade facilitation and regional environmental arrangement
• In the area of cross-border infrastructure management, acquire skills in regional project management and appraisal techniques for cross-border transport infrastructure projects
• Introduce best practices in the management of regional public goods and share lessons and experiences
• Strengthen regional development planning and resource allocation and facilitate cross-border trade
• Create network of governments, international organizations, and private companies to share the information and knowledge on this issue

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Outputs

• 30 trained government officials responsible for managing regional infrastructure and trade facilitation and RPG in general
• Knowledge network among the participants to share experiences
• Executive Summary of Proceedings & CD-ROM of conference materials; and
• a short publication on the analysis and output of the Cross-Border infrastructure seminar-workshop

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Participants

• Government officials from Asia and the Pacific involved in managing various RPGs such as strategic regional infrastructure planning, especially in the transport and logistics sectors
• Tentatively, two participants from each of the GMS region (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, Yunnan, and Guangxi); Southeast Asian countries (Malaysia, Philippines, Indonesia); one participant from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Pakistan; one participant from Kazakhstan, Kyrgz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; and three participants from the Pacific area (Cook Islands, Fiji Islands, Papua New Guinea) will be invited.
• Private sector representatives are also invited to participate in the workshop as partners

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Language

English (no interpretation would be provided)

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Responsibilities

Participants are expected to actively participate in the seminar and group work activities. They will be required to come up with a group presentation and a written report of their oral presentation.