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Foreword
Executive summary |
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I. |
Global and regional economic developments and
prospects:
implications for the ESCAP region |
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Overview
The international
environment
Trade
Capital flows
Oil prices: a new oil
shock?
The problem of global
imbalances
Is there a property
bubble in the region?
The challenge of avian
influenza
The issue of inequality
Remittances: a resource
for development
The outcome of the
Sixth WTO Ministerial Conference |
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II. |
Macroeconomic
performance, issues and policies |
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Regional overview
Near-term policy issues
Medium-term policy issues
Developing countries
East
and North-East Asia
North
and Central Asia
Pacific island economies
South
and South-West Asia
South-East Asia
Least developed
countries
South
Asia
South-East Asia
Developed countries
Australia, Japan and New Zealand |
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III. |
Emerging unemployment issues in Asia and the
Pacific:
rising to the challenges |
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Introduction
Unemployment: dismal
performance relative to outstanding economic achievements
Sectoral composition of employment: agriculture is still the main
provider
Underemployment: hidden and high
Child
labour: an issue of poverty
Jobless growth:
neglecting the people
Trade
liberalization: some employment opportunities with the right
policies
The working poor:
barely surviving
Small
and medium-sized enterprises and employment
Youth unemployment:
brains drained and wasted
Multiple causes
Unemployment among educated youth
Policy responses:
balanced approach and refocused action
Improving the macroeconomic environment
Addressing labour-related issues
Measures for labour market-related institutional development
Conclusion |
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Annex
Statistical tables |
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Boxes |
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II.1 |
The new scenario for textile and clothing exports from China |
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II.2 |
Lack of economic growth and employment opportunities in Pacific
island countries |
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II.3 |
Thirteenth summit of the South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation: high priority for fighting poverty, managing natural
disasters and combating terrorism |
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II.4 |
Singapore:
restructuring for the future |
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II.5 |
The labour market in
Asian least developed countries |
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II.6 |
Duty-free and quota-free market access for products originating
from least developed countries |
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III.1 |
The impact of
employment-protection legislation on employment generation |
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III.2 |
The hukou system and
its impact on the mobility of labour in China |
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III.3 |
Free trade and
employment |
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III.4 |
Youth Employment
Network |
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III.5 |
Employment insurance
system in the Republic of Korea |
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III.6 |
Looking beyond the
information technology sector in India |
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Tables |
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I.1 |
Selected indicators of
global economic conditions, 2002-2006 |
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I.2 |
Price trends of major
commodities, 2001-2005 |
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I.3 |
Net capital flows of developing countries and of all Asian
developing countries, 1995-2005 |
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I.4 |
Global oil consumption |
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I.5 |
Impact of a $10
increase in oil prices on selected Asian economies |
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I.6 |
Three simulated impacts
of a rise in the federal funds rate on GDP growth |
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I.7 |
Change in real estate prices in selected Asian and Pacific
economies from 2004 to 2005 |
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I.8 |
Receipts of workers’ remittances, foreign direct investment,
official development assistance and merchandise exports for
selected developing countries of the Asian and Pacific region |
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II.1 |
Rates of economic growth and inflation in selected Asian and
Pacific economies, 2003-2006 |
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III.1 |
Labour-market
indicators |
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III.2 |
Employment by major economic sector in selected economies, 1990
and 2003 |
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III.3 |
Employment in the rural
informal economy of selected Asian countries |
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III.4 |
Child labour, level of
income and adult literacy in selected Asian countries, 2003 |
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III.5 |
Compulsory education
and minimum working age |
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III.6 |
Employment elasticities and labour productivity in selected Asian
countries, 1980s and 1990s |
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III.7 |
Extent of employment
protection in selected Asian countries |
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III.8 |
Shares of the working
poor in total employment |
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III.9 |
Share in employment and GDP of small and medium-sized enterprises
in selected countries: average 1990-1999 |
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III.10 |
Youth unemployment by
subregion and world, 2004 |
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III.11 |
Share of total
unemployment by education level in selected economies in 2000 |
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Figures |
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I.1 |
Current account
balances for selected economies, 2004-2005 |
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I.2 |
Federal funds rate,
2004Q1-2007Q4 |
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II.1 |
Relative openness of
selected Asian and Pacific economies |
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II.2 |
GDP and sectoral growth in selected East and North-East Asian
economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.3 |
Savings and investment in selected East and North-East Asian
economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.4 |
Inflation and growth of money supply in selected East and
North-East Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.5 |
Budget balance in selected East and North-East Asian economies,
2003-2005 |
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II.6 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
East and North-East Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.7 |
Current account balance in selected East and North-East Asian
economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.8 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in
selected East and North-East Asian economies, 1996-2005 |
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II.9 |
GDP and sectoral growth in North and Central Asian economies,
2003-2005 |
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II.10 |
Budget balance in North
and Central Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.11 |
Inflation in North and
Central Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.12 |
Current account balance in North and Central Asian economies,
2003-2005 |
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II.13 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
North and Central Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.14 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in
selected North and Central Asian economies, 1996-2005 |
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II.15 |
GDP and sectoral growth
in selected Pacific island economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.16 |
Budget balance in
selected Pacific island economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.17 |
Inflation and money
supply growth in selected Pacific island economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.18 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
selected Pacific island economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.19 |
Current account balance
in selected Pacific island economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.20 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in
selected Pacific island economies, 1996-2005 |
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II.21 |
GDP and sectoral growth in selected South and South-West Asian
economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.22 |
Savings and investment in selected South and South-West Asian
economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.23 |
Inflation and money supply growth in selected South and South-West
Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.24 |
Budget balance and current account balance in selected South and
South-West Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.25 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
selected South and South-West Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.26 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in
selected South and South-West Asian economies, 1996-2005 |
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II.27 |
GDP and sectoral growth
in selected South-East Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.28 |
Savings and investment
in selected South-East Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.29 |
Budget balance in
selected South-East Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.30 |
Inflation and money supply growth in selected South-East Asian
economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.31 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
selected South-East Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.32 |
Current account balance
in selected South-East Asian economies, 2003-2005 |
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II.33 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in
selected South-East Asian economies, 1996-2005 |
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II.34 |
GDP and sectoral growth in selected least developed countries in
South and South-West Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.35 |
Savings and investment in selected least developed countries in
South and South-West Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.36 |
Budget balance in least developed countries in South and
South-West Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.37 |
Inflation and money supply growth in least developed countries in
South and South-West Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.38 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
least developed countries in South and South-West Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.39 |
Current account balance in least developed countries in South and
South-West Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.40 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in
selected least developed countries in South and South-West Asia,
2003-2005 |
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II.41 |
GDP and sectoral growth in selected least developed countries in
South-East Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.42 |
Savings and investment in selected least developed countries in
South-East Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.43 |
Budget balance in least developed countries in South-East Asia,
2003-2005 |
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II.44 |
Inflation and money supply growth in least developed countries in
South-East Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.45 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
least developed countries in South-East Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.46 |
Current account balance in least developed countries in South-East
Asia, 2003-2005 |
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II.47 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in least
developed countries in South-East Asia, 1996-2005 |
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II.48 |
Economic growth and inflation in developed countries of the Asian
and Pacific region, 2003-2005 |
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II.49 |
Consumption and investment in developed countries of the Asian and
Pacific region, 2003-2005 |
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II.50 |
Short-term interest rates and money supply growth in developed
countries of the Asian and Pacific region, 2003-2005 |
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II.51 |
Budget balance in developed countries of the Asian and Pacific
region, 2003-2005 |
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II.52 |
Current account balance in developed countries of the Asian and
Pacific region, 2003-2005 |
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II.53 |
Growth rates in merchandise export earnings and import spending in
developed countries in the Asian and Pacific region, 2003-2005 |
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II.54 |
Index of exchange rates against the United States dollar in
developed countries, 1996-2005 |
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III.1 |
Sectoral shares of
employment in Asia and the Pacific, 1950 and 1990 |
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III.2 |
Relationship between average unemployment rate and GDP growth rate
for 29 countries in Asia and the Pacific, 1990-2003 |
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III.3 |
Income shares in total
employment by Asian subregion and world in 2003 |
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