ASIA 2015 Conference
Promoting Growth, Ending Poverty

9:15am - Session One
WHAT ASIA HAS ACHIEVED; WHAT ASIA CAN ACHIEVE

9:15am Welcome address

Gareth Thomas MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for International Development, UK

Chair:
Haruhiko Kuroda, President, Asian Development Bank

9:30am Speeches
The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Secretary of State, Department for International Development, UK

HE Mr M Saifur Rahman, Minister of Finance, Bangladesh

10.00am Introductory remarks from Asian Ministers and panellists
Sharing lessons on Asian success and views on future challenges.

Chairs:
The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, Haruhiko Kuroda and Praful Patel

Panel:
Zha Peixin, Chinese Ambassador to the UK, (tbc)
Vo Hong Phuc, Minister for Planning and Investment, Vietnam
Kiyohiko Toyama, Vice Minister (Parliamentary) for Foreign Affairs, Japan
HE Mr Keat Chhon, Minister, Economy and Finance, Cambodia
Refreshment break 10:30 – 11:00 , State Dining Room, ground floor
Dr Kirit S Parikh, Member of the Planning Commission, India
HE Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance, Indonesia
HE Dr Surakiart Sathirathai, Deputy Prime Minister, Thailand
Kim Hak-Su, Executive Secretary, UNESCAP

11:30am Keynote Speeches
The Rt Hon Tony Blair MP, Prime Minister of the UK

Shaukat Aziz, Prime Minister of Pakistan, 'Repositioning Asia: A Road Map'

12.30pm Side Event
UNDP presentation of the report 'Voices of the Least Developed Countries in Asia and the Pacific: Achieving the Millennium Development Goals through a global partnership'. View the PowerPoint Presentation

Read conference papers for Session One

12:30 - Lunch

1:45pm - Session Two
CHALLENGES AND RISKS TO DEVELOPMENT IN ASIA

Chair:
Masood Ahmed, Director General (Policy and International), Department for International Development, UK

Keynote Speech
HE Dr Surakiart Sathirathai, Deputy Prime Minister, Thailand

With perspectives from Professor Ravi Kanbur, Cornell University, New York

Key issues: Growth prospects in the region up to 2015 and beyond. What are the challenges to be overcome and risks to be managed? How can Asian countries sustain conditions for rapid growth and poverty reduction up to 2015?

2.30 - 5.00pm Thematic Parallel Groups
Discussion of the challenges and responses, including future partnerships.

Parallel Group 2A: Making the best use of resources and energy; the environmental impact of rapid growth

1) What policies and interventions have been most successful at maximising nature's contribution to development, and minimising degradation? What are the respective strengths and weaknesses of Market and State?
2)  What examples do we have of successful regional and international cooperation on cross-border issues, such as the management of trans-boundary river basins, natural disasters and climate change?
3) How can the international community best contribute to Asia's environmental agenda?

Chair:
Nemat Shafik, Director General (Regional Programmes), Department for International Development, UK

Presenter: Professor Sir Gordon Conway, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for International Development, UK

Panel:
Erna Witoelar, UN Special Ambassador, Millennium Development Goals
Dr Cho-Oon Khong, Chief Political Analyst, Shell International BV
Anil Terway, Chair of the Energy Committee, Asian Development Bank
Chandra Kirana Prijosusilo, Consultant, The Samdhana Institute, Indonesia
Dr Pan Jiahua, Director, Research Centre for Sustainable Development, China

Parallel Group 2B: Fostering Private Sector Development
Future growth and poverty reduction in Asia depends on maintaining private sector dynamism and a conducive investment climate.

1) How do you maintain momentum in implementing Investment Climate reform for the benefit of small, large and rural businesses?
2) What role can banks and governments play in promoting microfinance?
3) How can governments work with the private sector in making markets work for poor people? What is the role of donors?

Chair:
Homi Kharas, Chief Economist, East Asia Pacific, World Bank

Presenter: Sir Nicholas Stern, Head of UK Government Economic Service

Panel:
Bryan Sanderson CBE, Chairman, Standard Chartered
HE Mr M Saifur Rahman, Minister of Finance, Bangladesh
Dr Rajiv Kumar, Director and Chief Executive, ICRIER, India
Van Sou Ieng, Chairman, Garment Manufacturer's Association of Cambodia
Naoko Ishii, Director, Ministry of Finance, Japan

Parallel Group 2C: Closing the Infrastructure Gap
Accelerating growth in Asia requires action to overcome the resource gap, weak regulatory frameworks and the risks that undermine public and private investment in infrastructure.

1) What interventions are necessary to meet the infrastructure needs of the poor in terms of access, communications, energy, water and sanitation?
2) What policies have been successful in increasing infrastructure financing and meeting operating and maintenance requirements?
3) How can we optimise involvement of the private sector in infrastructure financing, delivery and management?
4) What is needed to promote the provision of cross-border infrastructure to support regional integration?

Chair: Haruhiko Kuroda, President, Asian Development Bank

Presenter: Jeffrey Gutman, Acting Vice President, East Asia Pacific, World Bank
View the PowerPoint Presentation

Panel:
Hiroto Arakawa, Executive Director, Japan Bank for International Cooperation
Dr Harsha V Singh, Deputy Director General, WTO
Dr Quazi Mesbahuddin Ahmed, Planning Commission, Bangladesh
Dr Nachiket Mor, Executive Director, ICICI Bank

Read conference papers for Session Two
Read parallel session guidance notes for discussions

5:00 pm - Plenary: Chair's Summary of Session Two

5:30 pm - Close of Day One