Infrastructure for a Seamless Asia: Book Launch

Background

The competitiveness of Asia's trade—and of its increasingly sophisticated production networks in particular—depends on efficient, fast, reliable, and seamless infrastructure links. However, vast parts of Asia—inland and remote areas, landlocked countries, distant islands—isolated economically as well as geographically. Much of Asia's enormous potential remains untapped. The challenge is to build better connections across Asia; and thus to the rest of the world.

Rapid growth in recent years has put huge pressure on Asia's infrastructure, particularly in transport and energy, but also in communications. This creates a bottleneck to growth, a threat to competitiveness, and an obstacle to poverty reduction. Better connections to inland areas, for instance, would narrow the infrastructure gap between coastal and inland areas, thus boost the region's trade and economic growth.

The ongoing financial and economic crisis does not lessen the need for infrastructure improvements. On the contrary, upgrading and extending infrastructure networks assume a greater importance. The lessons of the 1997-1998 Asian financial crisis clearly show that a reduction in infrastructure investment can jeopardize economic recovery. Enhanced regional infrastructure cooperation could complement country-level efforts.

Infrastructure for a Seamless Asia is the flagship output of a joint ADB and ADBI study "Infrastructure and Regional Cooperation", which looks at regional infrastructure in Asia up to 2020. It examines the major issues and challenges in developing regional infrastructure and fostering regional cooperation on infrastructure-related issues in Asia. The book evaluates the degree and merits of existing programs, policies, and institutions, and gives recommendations on how to develop and improve their effectiveness. It looks at the broad pan-Asian initiatives as well as sector specific subregional efforts, particularly transport and energy. It covers hard infrastructure—the long-term physical structures, equipment, and facilities, and the economic services they provide-and its "software"— the policy, regulatory and institutional frameworks that support its effectiveness, financing, and operation. The book will serve as a definitive knowledge product for researchers, policymakers, business leaders, and other stakeholders in the region and beyond. It provides key information, case studies, cross-cutting issues, and policy directions concerning regional infrastructure development through regional cooperation.

ADB President Kuroda will launch the book and will deliver the opening remarks.