ISLAMABAD: The State Bank of Pakistan’s Refinance Scheme for Small Businesses has so far failed to take off due to multiple reasons as the commercial banks are not designed and fully equipped to provide credit line to Small and Medium Enterprises .“The SBP’s RefinanceScheme for...

By News DeskISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani has summoned a session of the Upper House on Tuesday, as the country witnessed its sharpest spike in confirmed coronavirus cases in a 24 hour period with nearly over 1,900 new cases and 35 more deaths.According to a press release issued by the...

To get energy efficiency programs back on track, governments need to focus on education, incentives and improved regulations, as well as artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Central Asia is improving food safety measures to share with the world some of the more than 8000 plant species, as well as livestock, from the region.

There is one sector that contributes up to a third of gross domestic product, and is an important source of foreign currency, in many of Asia’s developing countries. It could be deployed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Technology is a critical aspect of improving the availability and accessibility of clean water around the world.

Skills training, civic engagement and youth forums will help young people become active players in society’s shared efforts to grow and improve.

There’s one big element missing before we can create a truly transparent, seamless and open international trading framework.

Millions of Asia’s informal workers – such as vendors, day laborers, and others – are left out of national pension systems. Here’s what we can do to help them in their later years.

Involuntary resettlement can improve the lives of the resettled while reducing poverty and delivering results for development projects

A landmark international agreement designed to eliminate violence and harassment in the workplace has been passed. Now comes the hard part.

The global value chains that help drive Asia’s export-driven economic miracle have widespread development impacts. We need to understand them better to maximize the benefits.

A well-structured law on private-public partnerships is a key opportunity to upgrade Viet Nam’s infrastructure.

The World Trade Organization’s Trade Facilitation Agreement provides a roadmap for developing economies to increase trade while also increasing the benefits it provides to their citizens.

A wealth of knowledge – knowhow and wisdom – rests with the officials, professionals, practitioners and communities. The challenge is to unleash the untapped power of this information.

Making it easier for workers to move between countries is key to liberalizing the trade in services and unleashing the benefits it will produce across national and regional economies.

Global supply chains link the welfare of disaster-hit companies and their surrounding communities to a network of corporations that have an economic incentive to help them bounce back. 

A tax on migrating workers compensates the exporting country for loss of the human capital created by its education and skills development programs.

Climate-smart and resource-saving farming technologies could be one way to address hunger in Asia.

The Asia and Pacific region is aging rapidly, and that is affecting the region’s workforce, but increased longevity is adding an unexpected element to the picture

Data-driven decision making can be a powerful tool in the world of international development but it requires careful planning and management. 

With key financial reforms, Ho Chi Minh City has the potential to follow the model of Tokyo, Shanghai, Mumbai, and other cities which came to global financial prominence.

Local officials can now find information from all sectors, such as health, education, women’s empowerment, child protection, and human rights and law, to help them address child and teen marriage in their area.

Artificial intelligence could be enormously beneficial to society, and it could also lead to catastrophe. Governments can play a role determining the outcome of AI’s development.

Past financial crises have demonstrated how adequate financial safety net arrangements—globally, regionally, and nationally—are vital to safeguarding financial stability.

The ‘app economy’ provides potential risks and benefits for developing countries. The right policies are needed to bring out the best in these emerging economic trends.

In Sri Lanka, efforts need to be made to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education for girls to support their employment potential.

Despite variations across countries on policy mix and timing, a pragmatic focus on sustained growth, poverty reduction, and inclusiveness characterize Asia’s economic rise 

Practical approaches can improve how we promote development research, and increase uptake by policymakers

Asia and the Pacific is not where it needs to be to meet the Sustainable Development Goals but there remains a decade to make up for lost time.

Sir Fazle Hasan Abed dedicated his life to social development, establishing practices that will continue to help the poor for decades to come.

Complex, carefully managed financing structures can provide the funding needed for island states and others seeking to develop energy projects.

Throughout Asia and the world, digital solutions are being found for urban problems. Policymakers and city leaders should ensure that the poor do not get left behind in this digital transformation of cities.

Asian cities act as engines of economic growth, providing jobs, expertise, and the sharing of resources. But in some cases, these powerful engines are sputtering due to insufficient infrastructure, inadequate planning, and poor governance.

There are three key strategies that can help Viet Nam achieve its ambitious development targets in the coming years.

Solar power is helping Asia get electricity to people, particularly in rural and remote areas, but it has fallen behind in its use as a clean energy cooking source.

在整个亚洲乃至全世界，许多城市难题通过数字技术得到了解决。政策制定者和城市领导者应确保贫困人口在城市数字化转型中一个都不能少。

By some estimates, the digital economy now accounts for trillions of dollars. But policymakers and companies still lack the data needed to fully understand it.

Developing a holistic national student assessment system can be a colossal undertaking but strategic measures can produce results.

The COVID-19 pandemic could be an opportunity to take a more holistic approach to health and well-being, invest in health systems and in resilient supply chains.

Pacific nations, led by the smallest and least well-off, moved decisively to restrict travel from a fast-growing list of COVID-19 affected countries.

COVID-19 is uncharted territory but development professionals bring a wealth of experience from past crises to rebuild lives, livelihoods, and economies. 

Millions of families who were already poor and vulnerable before the COVID-19 outbreak face impossible decisions about food, healthcare, and survival. We have a responsibility to act immediately and protect those most in need.

The Asia Pacific region is standing together to cooperate regionally to address the transnational threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need to support trade to not only move medical supplies but also to bolster economies

Bank-held nonperforming loans in some Asian economies have risen in recent years. Policy makers should address this growing risk now.

The surge in online learning in the People’s Republic of China during the coronavirus outbreak highlights the importance of infrastructure, platforms and the preparedness of teachers, students and parents.

A new program will help provide food to thousands of poor households in the Philippines.

The COVID-19 pandemic is an opportunity to embrace the future of work-from-home and the greater adoption of walking and cycling. 

Many workers will be displaced and many businesses will close as a result of the slowdown caused by COVID-19. Providing support to those affected gives them a fighting chance.