ADDRESSING THE TRANSBOUNDARY DIMENSIONS OF THE 2030 AGENDA THROUGH REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION AND INTEGRATION ICT and Development Section ICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division ESCAP
2 ESCAP
3 2. ESCAP Established 1947, HQ in Bangkok, Thailand Regional development arm of the United Nations for the Asia- Pacific region. 53 Member States and 9 Associate Members The region is home to 4.1 billion people, or two thirds of the world s population For more information (http://www.unescap.org/)
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5 Project and inception meeting
6 Project Background Infrastructure connectivity = a vital factor for the socioeconomic development of landlocked developing countries. ESCAP s Regional Economic Cooperation and Integration (RECI) agenda is bringing countries together through a multi-dimensional approach to enhance infrastructure connectivity which comprises transport, energy and ICT connectivity.
7 Status of Connectivity All the three Countries are Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) Given a lack of territorial access to the sea. International connectivity is highly dependent on their neighboring countries Due to desert, mountainous terrain, and/or low populations scattered over large distances, difficulties emerge for the countries to develop infrastructure in remote and rural areas.
Target sectors and relationship Energy Transport ICT Seamless Connectivity Synergies Opportunities Challenges Cost effective: up to 75 per cent of civil engineering costs could be saved Potential update to institutional instrument could stall -disincentivise investment Finance: What would attract investment? Disaster Risk Reduction Social dimensions for no one left behind
9 Project principles Synergies needed among transport, energy and ICT development Development of infrastructure connectivity be inclusive of people in the underserved areas and communities, ensuring that no one is left behind Development of infrastructure connectivity to be resilient by potential impact of natural disasters, considering their high geographical vulnerabilities to natural disasters Synergies expected to lead to cost savings and enhanced financing opportunities
10 Project Objectives - To enhance capacity of selected developing countries to develop sustainable and inclusive policies and mechanisms for trans-boundary infrastructure development. - To integrate inclusiveness and sustainability (disaster resilience) into the transboundary infrastructure development - To strengthen collaboration among relevant institutions or agencies within and across the countries for policy coherence toward inclusive and sustainable infrastructure development
11 Targeted and Participating Countries Three targeted countries: - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan, and - Mongolia; Two participating countries: - China - Russian Federation. Implementation period: 2018 2021.
Links to SDGs: 12 - SDG Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and trans-border infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being - Target 11.2: Provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations - Target 11.5: Significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses - Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries - Target 17.3: Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources - Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships
13 Key Activities: 1. Organize one sub-regional inception meeting for fact-finding and needsbased assessment. 2. Conduct multi-sectoral assessments of transport, energy and ICT infrastructure, as well as inclusive, resilient, and financing aspects to such infrastructure. 3. Develop guidelines and training materials on planning and developing inclusive and sustainable infrastructure and policy recommendations on appropriate financing options 4. Organize national workshops for the targeted countries (2 workshops are expected per targeted country) 5. Organize a regional meeting to discuss and disseminate policy recommendations, guidelines, training materials and financing strategies for inclusive and sustainable infrastructure development
Subregional Inception Meeting: objectives - Familiarize with the project objectives, activities, implementation approach, - Review the proposed project activities and ensure they are in line with national priorities and needs, and - Take stock of progress and development in all sectors through the sharing of knowledge and good practices among policy makers from the target and participating countries 14 Expected Outcome: - consensus on the scope of this project ( proof of concept ) and next activities - Implementation and coordination arrangements: participants to be their ministries and institutions focal points throughout the project implementation.
15 Subregional Inception Meeting (cont.) Proceeding: Day 1: 1. Sectoral presentations by ESCAP 2. Group Work and Discussion by Sector Day 2: 1. Presentation by participants based on the result of group discussion 2. Group Work and Discussion by Country Day 3: 1. Presentation by participants based on the result of group discussion 2. Consolidation and consensus on future activities and implementation and coordination arrangements