ASEAN and the world

The ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation (ASEAN COSTI) has officially launched a call for applications for the ninth annual Underwriters Laboratories (UL) – ASEAN – US Science Prize for Women competition.

The ASEAN Secretariat (ASEC), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), conducted the first of four clusters of Capacity Building Programme (CBP) for Timor-Leste’s Accession to the ASEAN Economic Agreements from February 7-9 in Dili.

(CPV) - Greener trade and investment is crucial to tackling climate change in Asia and the Pacific and will require governments in the region to work together more closely, according to a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The 2023 ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF), themed "ASEAN: A Journey to Wonderful Destinations," opened in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on February 3 evening.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been rated the most transparent development finance institution (DFI) for sovereign operations and in the top three for private sector operations in a newly launched DFI Transparency Index published by British nongovernment organization Publish What You Fund.

Vietnamese nationals account for 25.4% of the total 1.82 million foreign workers who were working in Japan as of the end of October last year, according to the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW).

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD500 million policy-based loan to help the Government of the Philippines expand economic opportunities in agriculture while ensuring near- to long-term food security for the population.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a USD500 million policy-based loan to help the Philippine government address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on jobs, livelihoods, and the labor market. It will also help create an enabling environment for existing and emerging businesses to flourish and spur more employment.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Nhava Sheva Freeport Terminal Private Limited (NSFTPL) signed a USD131 million loan to upgrade the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Container Terminal located in Navi Mumbai Maharashtra to enhance international trade in India through efficient, transparent, and state-of-the-art logistics infrastructure.

Vietnamese people will join other Asian-origin communities at the 16-day Sydney Lunar Festival in the Australian city to mark the coming Lunar New Year.

Thailand expects tourism spending during the Lunar New Year holidays will reach 21.3 billion baht (640 million USD), equal to 48% of that in 2019.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised almost 8.4 million Azerbaijan manat (around USD4.9 million) in its first bond issue denominated in this Central Asian currency.

Mount Marapi, a volcano in Indonesia's West Sumatra province, erupted for about 45 seconds on January 7, throwing ash up to 300 meters above its peak.

(CPV) - On January 5th 2023, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) priced a 3-year global benchmark United States (US) dollar bond worth USD3.5 billion and a 10-year global benchmark US dollar bond worth USD2 billion, proceeds of which will be part of ADB’s ordinary capital resources used to support development across Asia and the Pacific.

Cambodia’s January 7 Victory reflected the pure and sincere international solidarity between Cambodian and Vietnamese people, opening a new page in the nations’ fine friendship and good neighbourliness, said Uch Leang, deputy head of the Department of Asian, African and Middle Eastern Studies under the Royal Academy of Cambodia (RAC)’s Institute of International Relations.

The Singaporean Ministry of Health said on December 30 that the city-state is ready to step up border health measures if needed and that it is closely watching the global COVID-19 situation.

The Lao National Assembly (NA) on December 30 voted to approve the nomination of Deputy Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone as the new Prime Minister, replacing Phankham Viphavanh.

(CPV) - Since the success of the Cuban Revolution (January 1, 1959), the Caribbean islands nation has continuously overcome many difficulties and challenges, even embargo, to affirm its strong vitality and steadfastness on the socialist road.

The ASEAN-Japan Centre (AJC) recently launched a special website to mark the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Japan friendship and cooperation next year.

Professional forecasters have upped their prediction of inflation in Singapore in 2022 and 2023 amid spiraling prices in the past three months, re-opening of domestic services and loosened COVID-19 restrictions.

Indonesia's trade balance recorded the 31st consecutive month surplus, reaching 5.16 billion USD as of November 30, reported the Statistics Indonesia on December 16.

(CPV) - A $554 million financing package, including new and reallocated funds, has been approved to support recovery and reconstruction efforts in Pakistan following this year’s devastating floods, and to strengthen the country’s disaster and climate resilience.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) signed a sovereign exposure exchange agreement worth USSD1.5 billion on December 12th 2022.

Omicron subvariant BA.2.75 accounted for 75.9% of new COVID-19 cases logged in Thailand from November 26-December 2, from 58.9% in the previous week, according to new data released by the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS).

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a $780 million multitranche financing facility (MFF) to build new lines and improve the connectivity of the metro rail system at Chennai, the capital of India’s Tamil Nadu state, with the city’s existing bus and feeder services.

(CPV) - ADB’s Office of Public–Private Partnership (OPPP) has been mandated to provide transaction advice on the Joydebpur Mymensingh Road (N3) PPP project to be built along one of the country’s busiest economic corridors and which is expected to deliver local jobs and skills, as well as cut road congestion and improve road safety.

The public and private sectors are being urged to work together to prepare for uncertainty in the tourism industry next year, which may pose hurdles for Thailand’s ability to maintain its competitive edge.

(CPV) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a $300 million loan to upgrade more than 300 kilometers of state highways and major district roads in Assam, including six road sections in the state’s western, central, and southern regions.

(CPV) - Countries in central and west Asia have endorsed three new cross-border cooperation initiatives to help accelerate the region’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, improve food security, and boost the development of clean energy.

(CPV) - Aggressive monetary tightening in advanced economies has pushed up bond yields and worsened the downturn of financial conditions in emerging East Asia, according to a report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).