Witnessing six decades of progress through the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific, 1947-2007

As 2008 unfolds, Asia and the Pacific is a far cry from what it was 60 years ago, marked as the world’s poorest and beset by the most basic development issues of recovery and rebuilding. Nonetheless, many of the issues raised by the Survey six decades ago remain. Adequate food supply, population pressures, poverty reduction, employment growth and development are still core concerns. These have been joined by wider issues as globalization and integration have enmeshed economies.

These quotes provide a summary of the selected reports coinciding with the release of the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2008.

	The Survey 1947 “With the establishment of the Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East a new chapter opens in the economic history of the countries included its territorial scope. For the first time a forum is provided by the United Nations at which the accredited representatives of the governments of the region can meet together to discuss common economic problems, establish agreed principles of action and carry out, if they choose, the policies determined by mutual agreement.”
	The Survey 1953 “The period of comparative stability which many countries have enjoyed in the late part of 1953 has marked the abatement of disturbances arising from the Korean boom, and the return to more normal conditions in which the relative claims of rapid growth and of monetary stability can be assessed with greater confidence.”
	The Survey 1964 “All this emphasizes the need for Governments to re-examine their development policies, redouble their efforts to eliminate bottlenecks hindering general economic growth and bring countries, during the remainder of the Development Decade, closer to its modest targets”.
	The Survey 1978 “In East Asia a few countries which together account for over one third of world developing country manufactured exports and three fifths of clothing exports to developed countries, will be seriously harmed if severe restrictions continue to be placed on clothing or textiles.”
	The Survey 1982 “(In the wake of the second oil shock of 1979-1980) Industrial production in Europe and North America in particular declined; unemployment reached the highest level in decades; world trade stagnated. For the developing countries the situation grew increasingly serious.”
	The Survey 1993 “Since the mid-1970’s, financial markets have become increasingly globalized. This globalization has created several opportunities for all participants in the market. Overall it has created a highly competitive environment, which in many ways works to the advantage of investors and borrowers.”
	The Survey 2007 “Economic growth has been widely shared, with all subregions performing robustly. In keeping with the region’s rapid integration into the global economy and the sectors in which it is most competitive internationally, the process of expansion has been concentrated in the industrial and services sectors. East and North-East Asia had stronger than expected growth of 8.5%. Investment continues to accelerate in China, while investment and consumption posted healthy gains in Hong Kong, China and Macao, China.”