Asean’s ‘winners and losers’ analysed by OBG
KUALA LUMPUR: The impact of our changing economic global landscape on relations between emerging markets and advanced economies was one of several issues explored in a lecture given recently by Paulius Kuncinas, managing editor for Asia at the global publishing, research and consultancy firm Oxford Business Group (OBG).
Kuncinas was speaking to students at a seminar organised jointly by OBG and the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) on the theme ‘International Relations & Economics – Rise of Emerging Markets and Asia as Dominant Economic Centres’.
Other key topics analysed by Kuncinas included the ‘New Deal’ between Europe, the US and Asia and the worldwide shift away from multilateralism towards bilateral ties.
Kuncinas also gave a separate talk at the seminar, which took place on February 13, titled ‘Asean Growth Pact – Opportunities & Challenges in the Wake of Economic Disparity’, during which he considered what the future holds for the region’s new economic bloc, as integration edges closer.
Possible winners and losers in Asean and the main challenges faced by private sector players and policymakers were also given wide-ranging coverage.
Commenting after the event, Kuncinas said that assessing the positives and negatives of Asean had made for a lively discussion in a year when regional integration sat top of many agendas.
“The seminar provided a valuable opportunity to bring to the fore several issues that are hot topics of debate right now, such as the challenges policymakers face in trying to close the developmentgapbetweenpoorand advanced Asean economies,” he said.
“It was a pleasure to discuss this fascinating subject in detail with a young audience for whom regional integration is of the utmost relevance.”