|
 South
Asia has sustained an average growth rate of 5.5 per cent per
annum over the past two decades despite many external and
domestic shocks, making it one of the most dynamic regions in
the world. With more than a decade of reforms behind them, the
region’s economies are more intensively integrated with the
global economy, growth of income and exports display promising
outlook and inflation rates are in check. Despite such
achievements in terms of economic performance, however, the
region is home to more than two fifths of the world’s poor.
The region also fares very poorly in terms of different
indicators of human development such as education, health,
nutrition, among others. Therefore, the region needs to further
accelerate its growth process with an emphasis on human
development and strengthen competitiveness to deal with the
daunting challenges of alleviation of poverty, hunger,
illiteracy, and disease.
The
South Asia Development and
Cooperation Report 2004 (SADCR 2004) argues that
the region can face these challenges much more effectively as a
group rather than individually. The regional economic
integration can, by exploiting the synergies, expand the
economic opportunities available and strengthen the growth
prospects. The recent experiences with economic integration, in
the region, suggest that it leads to expansion of trade and
development in a balanced and sustainable manner. In the light
of these experiences and against the backdrop of mushrooming
regional trading blocs in different parts of the world, the
Report finds a compelling case for the region expeditiously
effecting its transition into an economic and monetary union by
implementing SAFTA, forming a SAARC Customs Union and
introducing a South Asian parallel currency, as an intermediate
step to a single currency.
Among
the key sectors presenting opportunities for mutually beneficial
cooperation, SADCR 2004 selects transport infrastructure.
Transport infrastructure is not only an important determinant of
economic development but is also critical in exploiting the
gains of economic integration resulting from geographical
proximity. The Report also presents a detailed analysis of the
capabilities, potential and challenges for mutually beneficial
cooperation in the area of biotechnology that has tremendous
promise for promoting food security and hence alleviation of
poverty and hunger in the region.
These are
some of the issues addressed by the Report.
Contents
Foreword
by Shri K.C. Pant, Deputy Chairman, Planning
Commission and Chairman, RIS
Preface
Executive Summary |
| Chapter
1: |
Global
Economic Trends and South Asia |
| Chapter
2: |
Reforms
and Global Economic Integration of South Asia |
| Chapter
3: |
Macroeconomic
Performance and Outlook of South Asia: Growth,
Structural Transformation and Stabilization |
| Chapter
4: |
Trade
Performance and Competitiveness |
| Chapter
5: |
Foreign
Direct Investment and Global Production Networks |
| Chapter
6: |
Regional
Economic Integration in South Asia: Lessons from
Different Approaches |
| Chapter
7: |
Transport
Infrastructure: Present Status and Potentials
for Cooperation |
| Chapter
8: |
Biotechnology
in South Asia: Issues, Concerns and
Opportunities for Cooperation |
| Chapter
9: |
Development
with a Human Face |
|
|
The
South Asia Development and Cooperation Report
2004 has been prepared by a RIS research
team led by Dr. Nagesh Kumar, Director-General,
RIS. The core team comprised Dr. K.J. Joseph,
Visiting Senior Fellow; Dr. Ram Upendra Das and
Dr. Sachin Chaturvedi, Fellows; Dr. Mirza Allim
Baig, Prabir De and Dr. Saon Ray, Research
Associates, RIS. Inputs have also been provided
by Dr. Ramgopal Agarwala, Senior Advisor, RIS.
Sunayana Mehra provided research assistance to
the Report Team.
The
Report Team has received valuable encouragement
and inputs from the National Focal Points of the
SAARC Network of Researchers on Global Financial
and Economic Issues. A draft of the Report was
discussed at the Sixth Meeting of the Network of
Researchers held in Islamabad on 8th
December, 2003, and benefited from the feedback. |
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