Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, Additional Research Director, CPD recommended promotion of regional investment cooperation in South Asia in a Roundtable Meeting for SAARC Study on “Roadmap for Achieving South Asia Economic Union.”
Asian Development Bank (ADB) organised the meeting, during 24-25 March 2014, in Manila, Philippines, aiming to deliberate on the approach, sequencing, and priority areas for South Asia’s regional cooperation and integration.
Member countries of the South Asia Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have requested the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to undertake a study to examine the extent of regional cooperation and integration already underway in the region, and to prepare a “Roadmap for Achieving South Asia Economic Union (Second Phase)” study.
The presentation titled “Regional Investment Cooperation under the Proposed South Asia Economic Union: State of FDI Policies, Its Trends, Challenges and Outlook” by Dr Moazzem looked at the existing investment scenario in the region, investment policies and the status of institutions in view of the South Asia Economic Union.
Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Executive Director, CPD also attended the programme as a Discussant on the presentation titled “SAFTA Liberalization – Progress, Challenges, and Prospects” and moderated discussion on the presentation “Informal Trade in SAARC” during the session “ Moving towards South Asian Economic Union.”
Leading experts and researchers from South Asia, together with representatives of the SAARC Secretariat convened at the Round Table Meeting to brainstorm on the topics of the study.