TERMS OF REFERENCE
Committee on Managing Globalization

The process of globalization has profound, and still unfolding, implications for the region’s economic and social development. The challenge is how to manage globalization effectively by formulating and implementing effective policies to seize the new opportunities while minimizing inevitable costs.

In this context, the Committee on Managing Globalization shall address issues within the focused subprogramme areas of (a) international trade and investment, (b) transport infrastructure and facilitation and tourism, (c) environment and sustainable development and (d) information, communications and space technology.

Under the overall supervision of the Commission, the Committee shall:

1. Review and analyse emerging economic issues and their implications for the region and recommend policy guidelines which could be considered for adoption by Governments.
2. Review and analyse trends and developments in order to raise understanding of the implications of World Trade Organization agreements, regional trading arrangements and other multilateral trade negotiations and recommend appropriate activities to strengthen capacities of countries to consider accession to the World Trade Organization and for developing countries and economies in transition to participate actively in international trade negotiations.
3. Promote the development of internationally competitive trade by rationalizing and automating documentation, promoting the simplification and harmonization of trade rules and enhancing conformity with standards and certification as well as enhancing management skills.
4. Promote the exchange of experiences and the sharing of best practices in investment promotion and facilitation and strengthen countries in building capacity to formulate and implement policies and strategies in support of enterprise and entrepreneurship development, with a special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises.
5. Promote further development of sustainable tourism by strengthening capacities of human resources and institutions and promoting regional cooperation, especially networking of training institutions.
6. Serve as a catalyst for action in formulating and implementing national, regional and interregional transport initiatives with a particular focus on the Asian Highway, the Trans-Asian Railway and the development of intermodal transport linkages to improve access to domestic and global markets.
7. Promote a comprehensive approach to removing institutional and physical barriers in order to facilitate the movement of people, goods and services and strengthen the development of multimodal transport/logistics services, including transit facilities, to enable active participation in the process of globalization.
8. Review, analyse and document transport trends and policy responses and assist members and associate members in addressing issues that focus on public/private partnerships and promotion of participatory approaches to the integration of economic, social and environmental considerations into transport planning and policy development.
9. Review and assess the state of the environment in the region and highlight the major environmental considerations with a view to encouraging the integration of such concerns into development policies, strategic plans and programmes at the macroeconomic and sectoral levels and facilitating policy dialogues, training and exchange of experiences.
10. Promote human and institutional capacity-building to respond effectively and in an integrated manner to global, regional, national and local environmental plans for participation in developing, acceding to and implementing multilateral environmental agreements. In this regard, promote the formulation and dissemination of regional perspectives and model legislation and standards as well as economic instruments that would be appropriate in the light of prevailing economic, social and environmental conditions, and support regional and subregional environmental cooperation.
11. Assist in capacity-building, formulation and implementation of strategies and action plans for sustainable use of natural resources, particularly water resources, with a special focus on problems of water quality and access to safe drinking water for the poor.
12. Strengthen national capacities in preventing, mitigating and managing water-related disasters and promote and strengthen collaboration with the Convention secretariats in combating land degradation, desertification and the negative effects of climate change, and coordinate with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on deforestation through the promotion of regional cooperation.
13. Promote capacity-building in sustainable energy development through policy advice, human resources development and exchange of information so as to support national efforts in strategic planning and management and in enhanced utilization of renewable energy and energy efficiency improvement by integrating economic, social and environmental dimensions. Also support subregional cooperation in energy sector development, energy trade and sharing as well as policy reforms.
14. Promote capacity-building for creating an enabling environment for the development of information and communications technology (ICT) transfer and application, particularly through regional cooperation and networking of governmental, non-governmental and private sector organizations for the benefit and mainstreaming of developing economies and economies in transition.
15. Promote regional cooperation and effective integration of satellite-based ICT applications with other information technologies for informed sustainable economic and social development planning and management, and improved quality of life, particularly integrated remote sensing and satellite communications for remote and rural areas, poverty mapping and distance education.
16. Promote collective self-reliance and South-South cooperation, such as in ECDC/TCDC and regional resilience.
17. Review the implementation and effectiveness of the relevant programme of work of ESCAP and make recommendations to the Commission concerning future programmes of work and, in this process, ensure that cross-sectoral issues such as the special concerns of the least developed, landlocked and Pacific island developing countries and economies in transition are adequately addressed.
18. Strengthen the relationship with relevant subregional organizations to promote intra-subregional and intersubregional cooperation.
19. Accelerate follow-up to the decisions and recommendations of global conferences relevant to the work of the Committee, at the national, subregional and regional levels, evaluate progress and provide guidance on the formulation and implementation of regional action programmes.
20. Promote liaison with development agencies and financial institutions, private sector organizations, non-governmental organizations, donors and supporting countries within and outside the region and relevant agencies of the United Nations system, with a view to minimizing overlap and duplication and strengthening cooperation with those organizations and bodies at the subregional, regional and global levels to maximize the effectiveness and impact of the Commission’s activities.
21. Work closely and coordinate with other subsidiary bodies of the Commission.
22. Carry out such other activities as the Commission may direct from time to time in matters relating to managing globalization.

Within the context of its terms of reference, the Committee shall identify the tasks to be undertaken during a specified period. The Committee shall indicate the outcomes expected for each task, set a time frame for the achievement of each task and monitor its implementation and effectiveness.
The Committee shall be composed of all members and associate members of the Commission.The Committee shall meet biennially and present its report to the Commission to facilitate deliberations on managing globalization.

The Committee shall be assisted in its work by the following four subcommittees:
(a) Subcommittee on International Trade and Investment;
(b) Subcommittee on Transport Infrastructure and Facilitation and Tourism;
(c) Subcommittee on Environment and Sustainable Development;
(d) Subcommittee on Information, Communications and Space Technology.

While the Committee shall consider overall policy aspects of managing globalization, the subcommittees shall focus on specific sectoral aspects of the mandates given to the Committee under its terms of reference.

The subcommittees shall meet in the intervals between sessions of the Committee, preferably in alternate years. The Committee shall provide overall direction to the subcommittees on the issues to be addressed and the prioritization of their work, which shall guide the subcommittees in determining their agendas. The reports of the subcommittees shall be submitted to the Committee at its subsequent session as a basis for deliberations at an intersectoral/thematic level.