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South Asia is the fastest growing region in the world and is experiencing increasing demand for energy. As a result, countries are witnessing an excessive reliance on fuel imports, making themselves vulnerable to external price volatility and compromising on energy security. Power trade in South Asia can meet the challenge of increasing energy demand owing to complementarities in resource endowments and peak demand. Power trade in South Asia has increased over the years but is below potential. However, there are various challenges due to lack of institutional structures and frameworks for developing regional power trade models. The examples of power integration models in Europe, that is, the Nordic power market, and in Southeast Asia, that is, power trade in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), can provide useful lessons and international best practices for regional power trade to be replicated in the South Asian context. Based on this, the objective of this article is to evaluate the existing power trading mechanisms in South Asia, highlight the challenges to regional energy cooperation, outline the necessary instruments and catalysts to promote regional power trade in South Asia based on the case study of successful power trading arrangements, including the Nordic power market in Europe and the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) in Southeast Asia, draw on their experiences to identify key mechanisms and develop a template for greater regional cooperation in electricity in South Asia.

Temporal and spatial variability of precipitation in southern Africa is particularly high. The associated drought and flood risks, combined with a largely rain-fed agriculture, pose a challenge for water and food security in the region. As regional collaboration strengthens through the Southern Africa Development Community and trade with other regions increases, it is thus important to understand both how climate variability affects agricultural productivity and how food trade (regional and extra-regional) can contribute to the region's capacity to deal with climate-related shocks. We combine global hydrological model simulations with international food trade data to quantify the water resources embedded in international food trade in southern Africa and with the rest of the world, from 1986-2011. We analyze the impacts of socio-economic, political, and climatic changes on agricultural trade and embedded water resources during this period. We find that regional food trade is efficient in terms of water use but may be unsustainable because water-productive exporters, like South Africa, rely on increasingly stressed water resources. The role of imports from the rest of the world in the region's food supply is important, in particular during severe droughts. This reflects how trade can efficiently redistribute water resources across continents in response to a sudden gap in food production and water productivity. In a context of regional and global integration, our results highlight opportunities for improved water-efficiency and sustainability of the region's food supply via trade.

In recent years, an increasing influx of migrants to Europe has led to a heated public discourse about integration capacities within receiving countries such as Germany. During this period, German society, with its changeful immigration history, is again challenged to provide policy responses and foster migrant integration, especially in urban areas. The efforts of cities along that path, however, vary greatly. Complementing locality approaches on immigration and integration policies, which are focused on metropolises and the U.S.-American context, this article is an empirical application for understanding institutional and structural conditions for local variations in integration strategies in Germany by presenting a comparative analysis of four mid-sized cities. The particular research interest lies on discourses from interviews with local authorities and civil society actors. Our analysis reveals city-specific streamlines: For instance, discourses at a center of the 'knowledge society' focused on a strong municipal power structure that allowed communally-financed, sustainable projects to evolve from a historically-grounded commitment to welcome migrants and from high financial capacities at its disposal. In another case, discourses revolved around a city's financially constraints, which were equalized by compensatory civil society networks. In other cities, progress was associated with spontaneous local happenings or individual innovative leadership. These street-level patterns create a degree of locality within the global migration discourse, since they emerge from the interplay of financial, economic, and demographic features; historical concepts; or local events. We therefore contend that urban planning initiatives would profit from considering place-specific institutions that influence integration stakeholders, which are regime-makers and foster institutional, migration-led changes.

Emerging from decades of economic and political isolation, Myanmar is enjoying a period of exceptional growth and is one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia. The country possesses abundant natural resources, a strategic location at the crossroads of Asia, a young population, and a sizable market with wide-ranging investment opportunities. The country, however, needs to achieve and maintain stability, both on the macroeconomic front and in terms of peace and reconciliation. It needs to address substantive deficits in infrastructure and human resources, which constrain social and economic development. Myanmar also needs to sustain its reform momentum toward good governance, effective public sector management, and a conducive business environment.

The 2018 Budget for Malaysia was unveiled by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, in Parliament on 27 October 2017. The budget was crafted with a clear sight on a general election that must be called by August 2018. Not surprisingly therefore the budget contains well-spread sweeteners for key constituencies, but not overly generous as to derail the medium term goal of achieving a balanced or near-balanced budget by 2020 through a gradual pace of fiscal consolidation. While a more favourable external economic environment has provided the government with some respite from a tightening fiscal space, the government and the private sector should not be lulled into complacency in pursuing the necessary strategic reforms that are needed to tackle the country's socio-economic development challenges which the annual budget attempts to address with tax reliefs and stop-gap measures. The reform imperatives to strengthen the country's resilience take on a more urgent note given that the longer term threats may crystallised sooner rather than later amid lingering uncertainties and increased frequency of crises afflicting the global economy.

Without a doubt, 2016 is considered as one of the painful years for the economy of the country. That is to say, the economy of the country encountered nearly 4.0 % decline [during January-November 2016 GDP fell by 3.9% compared with the previous year, SSCRA1 ], the depreciation of national currency continued, as a result, manat lost its value by 12.5% during the year. The depreciation of national currency reached 57% from January, 2015 until December, 2016. Inflation rate increased to 12.1%, hitting a two-digit level first time since 2008 and consequently, real income of population shrank by 3.2%. The tight monetary and credit policies of the government led to weakening economic activity, lending level fell to the minimum, 11 banks were closed (one of them being systematically important). The state budget revenues and expenditures executed with respectively 16.1% and 10% decrease in 2016, compared with the January-November, 2015.

The economic malaise into which Thailand has fallen over the past decade also complicates any long-term security planning. Political instability has discouraged major new foreign investment, while a weak education system has condemned Thailand to being "trapped" as a middle-income economy.20 Over coming decades, Thailand will grapple with the need to manage an increasingly elderly and economically unproductive workforce. Since the 1990s, Thailand's prosperity has been supported by access to cheap migrant labour from Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos. If this were to stop, then Thailand could face a serious threat to its economic and social stability, right at a time when neighbouring countries are presenting their own credible claims as attractive destinations for foreign investment.

According to the legislation on the Budget system, the legislative project on the state budget of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2017 and the state and consolidated budget projects of 2017 were publicized on 29th of September, 2016. It has been three years that the legislative projects on the consolidated and state budgets of the Republic of Azerbaijan are being prepared amidst the absence of positive economic trends for the country. Specifically, during the preparation of 2017 state budget, external and internal economic impacts were considered at greater extent. As in previous years, the Center for Economic and Social Development has prepared a comparative analysis of the budget project publicized by the government.

During the course of 2015 Azerbaijan suffered the impact of two devaluations of the national currency, Azerbaijani Manat (AZN), due to the decrease of the world oil prices. Given that oil and natural gas accounts for more than 90% of Azerbaijani exports, continued low world oil prices had a critical negative impact on the Azerbaijani economy. The current situation has led Azerbaijan to establish new priorities that could help restructure the financial system at this critical moment. The drastic change in the economic outlook of the country has created the need to open a wider window to the European Union (EU) in order to overcome the current economic downturn. The bilateral relations between Azerbaijan towards the EU have not reached fully its potential, if we compare it with other countries that have the same profile. A possible geopolitical change of Azerbaijan towards the European Union could be the first step to a transformation in the structure of the country and an improvement in the sectors of energy, trade, migration, tourism and agriculture. From years past to currently, the EU has been the main trading partner of Azerbaijan and one of the main investors in the country. Current trade relations mean an open path for both sides to create stronger ties of collaboration that could renovate and stimulate the very needy diversification of the Azerbaijani economy; as well as the improvement of the rule of law, governance, mobility and quality standards.

This paper reviews economic growth theory in the framework of economic development and explores the possibility of sustained growth in the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the long run. We argue that the PRC has the potential to sustain relatively high growth rates. First, since the technological gap with major developed countries still exists, the PRC can continue to enjoy its "advantage of backwardness" in the near future. Second, large-scale infrastructure investment, which began several decades ago, may possibly extend to the future and provide the country a basis for further growth. Third, structural readjustment, which is needed in many areas, should similarly be able to support the Chinese economy. This paper argues that to sustain long-term growth in the PRC, a number of general preconditions need to be fulfilled—these include well-functioning markets, a minimum amount of investment, continued structural upgrading, and effective government.

This paper reviews economic growth theory in the framework of economic development and explores the possibility of sustained growth in the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the long run. We argue that the PRC has the potential to sustain relatively high growth rates. First, since the technological gap with major developed countries still exists, the PRC can continue to enjoy its "advantage of backwardness" in the near future. Second, large-scale infrastructure investment, which began several decades ago, may possibly extend to the future and provide the country a basis for further growth. Third, structural readjustment, which is needed in many areas, should similarly be able to support the Chinese economy. This paper argues that to sustain long-term growth in the PRC, a number of general preconditions need to be fulfilled—these include well-functioning markets, a minimum amount of investment, continued structural upgrading, and effective government.

National economies are becoming more knowledge-based—economies where productivity and growth have become more dependent on knowledge. However, nations, organizations, and individuals did not intentionally design the "knowledge era," they were—knowingly or unknowingly—pushed into it. India and the People's Republic of China are moving to where knowledge has become the strategic national and organizational resource. The Asian economic landscape will continue to be pushed also by Japan and by smaller, but bright, economic performers such as Malaysia, Singapore, Republic of Korea, and Taipei,China. This publication aims (i) to examine the assumptions behind and ingredients of a knowledge-based economy and society and (ii) to survey how Asian governments have been planning to move their economies and societies to be more knowledge-based.

National economies are becoming more knowledge-based—economies where productivity and growth have become more dependent on knowledge. However, nations, organizations, and individuals did not intentionally design the "knowledge era," they were—knowingly or unknowingly—pushed into it. India and the People's Republic of China are moving to where knowledge has become the strategic national and organizational resource. The Asian economic landscape will continue to be pushed also by Japan and by smaller, but bright, economic performers such as Malaysia, Singapore, Republic of Korea, and Taipei,China. This publication aims (i) to examine the assumptions behind and ingredients of a knowledge-based economy and society and (ii) to survey how Asian governments have been planning to move their economies and societies to be more knowledge-based.

The report aims to analyze the PRC's development management in the economic context and legal framework where reforms are taking place. It includes an analysis of the changing role of government in moving from a central planning to a market-based economy, and from a command and control approach to public sector management, to a more marketoriented system.

The report aims to analyze the PRC's development management in the economic context and legal framework where reforms are taking place. It includes an analysis of the changing role of government in moving from a central planning to a market-based economy, and from a command and control approach to public sector management, to a more marketoriented system.