Regional High-Level Workshop on
"Strengthening the Response to the Global Financial Crisis in Asia-Pacific: The Role of Monetary, Fiscal and External Debt Policies"
27-30 July 2009
Dhaka, Bangladesh

As many developing countries in the region are experiencing serious economic challenges under the unprecedented global financial crisis, the main objective of the workshop is to strengthen the capacity of the policymakers to tackle the global crisis through the effective implementation of macroeconomic policies. In particular, the workshop is expected to assess the experiences of eleven selected Asia-Pacific countries in dealing with the challenges posed by the crisis in the areas of monetary policy, fiscal policy and external debt management. Given that these policies could be interlinked, their effectiveness to address the crisis may depend on how well they are coordinated and managed at the national level. At the same time, many countries in the ESCAP region are linked with each other by trade and other capital flows, implying that policy stances of some countries may affect other countries. In this context, some sort of policy coordination at the regional or subregional levels could be beneficial, especially to the smaller countries of the region.

In addition, the workshop is expected to provide an opportunity to the participating countries to share and learn from each other’s experiences, discuss best practices, and understand why some policies may work in some contexts but not in others. The proposed regional workshop is expected to raise these issues and provide participants with the opportunities to strengthen the capacities to effectively implement their policies.

The four-day regional capacity building workshop organized by ESCAP and hosted by the Bangladesh Bank in Dhaka will be attended by eleven countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Kazakhstan, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam) and also by pertinent international organizations including Asian Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Bank as well as civil society organizations.

	LINK TO DOCUMENTS
	Concept note
	Programme
	Nomination form
	Information note for participants
	Conference papers
	List of participants
	Report of the meeting
	Photos from the workshop
	MEDIA COVERAGE & PRESS RELEASES
	UN regional high-level workshop to study Asia and the Pacific economic policy responses to financial crisis (ESCAP Press Release 24 July 2009)
	Senior finance and central bank officials meet at UN workshop on Asia-Pacific's economic policy responses to financial crisis (ESCAP Press Release 28 July 2009)
	UN meeting concludes New Sources of Economic Growth must be found within Asia-Pacific Region (ESCAP Press Release 31 July 2009)
	Band together for recession aid: Muhith to LDCs (Bdnews24, 27 Jul 09)
	Muhith urges Asia-Pacific countries to hasten response to global financial crisis (Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, 27 Jul 09)
	Stand together to get G20 fund share: Muhith calls upon Asia Pacific countries at workshop on recession (The Daily Star, 28 Jul 09)
	Economy won't be in 'comfortable' territory this fiscal, warns Muhith (Financial Express, 28 Jul 09)
	Bangladesh calls for changed attitude of IMF (New Age Business, 28 Jul 09)
	Asia must team up, boost trade to withstand global recession: Atiur (The Financial Express, 31 Jul 09)
	ESCAP countries plan regional fund for investment (New Age, 31 Jul 09)
	Move away from export-led growth: Experts suggest as regional workshop ends (The Daily Star, 31 Jul 09)
	Regional Responses to Financial Crisis (Economic Times Delhi, 7 Aug 09)

Contact person:

Mr. Aynul Hasan
Chief, Development Policy Section
Macroeconomic Policy and Development Division
ESCAP
Tel: (662) 288-1636
Fax: (662) 288-3007
Email: hasan.unescap@un.org