The study explores how regional cooperation in these areas can help to make globalisation a positive force for all people. In the spirit of the Monterrey Consensus, it reviews a number of recent initiatives: the growing array of preferential trade agreements, the Asian Bond Market Proposals, the Digital Solidarity Agenda, the Asian Highway and the Trans-Asian Railway. The study poses the questions: Can the EU model work for Asia Pacific integration? How can better synergy be achieved by regional cooperation arrangements such as ASEAN, ASEAN+3, ECO, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat and SAARC? How can regional economy help countries to integrate with global economy? In this way the study guides stakeholders to address the policy dilemmas in managing globalisation. |
Globalisation
has been a complex and uneven process. Several countries in the
Asia-Pacific region have reaped substantial benefits, but many others,
particularly the least developed, have been left behind. The fundamental
vision of the United Nations Millennium Declaration is that better
management of globalisation is central to the achieving the Millennium
Development Goals. This study examines the state of globalisation
and regional cooperation on the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on
four areas that are the key driving forces in globalisation, i.e.
Trade, Finance, Transport and Information and Communication Technology.| |