This study assesses the strengths and weaknesses of reforms in the banking and insurance industries. Banking sector performance is analysed using various indicators as well as Principle Component Analysis techniques. A comparative case study of three banks with different ownership structures is...

This study reviews the development of the banking and insurance sectors in Nepal and the effect of reforms and commitments linked to these sectors since the 1980s, when financial sector liberalization in Nepal began with deregulation of the interest rate structure and opening of the banking...

This study reviews the development of the banking and insurance sectors in Malaysia since the 1980s, with a particular attention to the effects and sequencing of the various reforms as well as the impact of services trade liberalization and related commitments.

This paper draws from three country case studies of the liberalization and development of the banking and insurance service sectors in Bangladesh, Nepal and Malaysia undertaken as part of an ARTNeT regional study on trade in services led by the author.

Over the last ten years, Chinese enterprises have become more multinational in nature. China's outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) has been growing at a phenomenal rate. In 2012, China became the third largest investor, after the US and Japan; and the largest investor among developing...

Food loss remains one of the central points of collective action around the world, as reflected in the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, but this issue is far more concerning for the developing countries. Several studies highlight the level and stages of food losses. However, there is limited...

Intra-ASEAN trade has increased six-fold since 1993 but greater integration challenge looms in addressing non-tariff measures. The paper discusses the various ASEAN work programs on NTMs and assesses the incidence of Members' NTMs on various products. Various ways of accelerating the reduction...

Export Processing Zones (EPZs) have been among the primary factors of export-oriented growth in recent decades. EPZs first came about in 1959 with the establishment of the Shannon Zone in Ireland. Following that, the first few zones were envisaged primarily as industrial zones that were to...

South Asia could unleash its full potentials, provided, it improves the infrastructure facilities, which are at present not sufficient to meet the growing demand of the region. The renewed and shared agenda of the South Asian regional cooperation should aim to reduce both intra- and inter-...

The paper aims to identify the various types of non-tariff measures (NTMs) affecting Pakistan's textile sector. The textile industry is of great importance to Pakistan and is a major contributor to its gross domestic product. However, Pakistan's textile exports are facing market access...