Papua New Guinea’s economic growth has outpaced the majority of economies in Southeast Asia and the Pacific since 2007. Its development challenges, however, remain daunting, and it lags behind other countries in the region in terms of per capita income and achievement of the Millennium...

This report summarizes key results from a 2012 survey of businesses in Papua New Guinea. It compares the results with the 2002 and 2007 surveys and shows that, while the business environment has improved since 2002, doing business in Papua New Guinea remains extremely challenging. Continued...

This study examines the potential of remittances for promoting economic growth and reducing poverty in Asian countries using data for more than 20 countries in the region for 1988-2007. The results indicate that remittances positively affect home country real gross domestic product (GDP) per...

The Monitor provides an update of developments in Pacific economies and explores topical policy issues.

This country report is the result of the analysis on the Informal Sector Survey that was funded by the regional technical assistance of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Measuring the Informal Sector. The Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, one of the three partner statistical agencies of the...

Access to improved water supply and sanitation results in economic development and poverty reduction, ensures food safety and better livelihoods, preserves the environment, reduces health burden, and empowers communities and provides opportunities for women. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has...

Ensuring a secure supply of food is essential, given the world’s (and especially Asia’s) growing population, high and volatile food prices, increasingly scarce resources, and changing environment. This paper discusses the drivers behind food insecurity in Asia and points to ways to mitigate...

The Framework of Inclusive Growth Indicators 2012 (FIGI 2012) is the follow-up edition to FIGI 2011, which proposed a set of 35 indicators as measures of income and non-income outcomes of inclusive growth; the processes and inputs that are important to improve access to opportunities, social...

This publication reviews recent developments in East Asian local currency bond markets along with the outlook, risks, and policy options. It covers the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus the People’s Republic of China; Hong Kong, China; and the Republic of Korea. It...