Advanced Middle-Income Countries of the Indo-Pacific: The Road Ahead

Event: Tuesday, March 5, 2019, Washington, DC

9:30-11:00 AM

Most developing countries in the Indo-Pacific region have experienced extraordinary growth and transformation over the past three decades, with many having reached, or now poised to reach, Advanced Middle Income Country (AMIC) status—spanning $4,000 to $20,000 GNI per capita. Despite general optimism regarding their continued progress, AMICs face a combination of growing challenges that could reduce their long-term growth and stability prospects. While research by the World Bank and others has begun to clarify the institutional, policy, and infrastructure changes needed to ensure successful AMIC transition, the political challenge of securing technically sound policy reforms is daunting. Adding to the complexity are global and regional trends including technology driven and other shifts in the global economy, rising inequality, the spread of populist and anti-global sentiments and fractious partisan politics, and concern surrounding China’s increasing role and intentions in the economies of the Indo-Pacific region.

Our event will consider the significant stake that the U.S. holds in the future of Asia’s AMICs. These countries are already important trading partners and, as nascent regional middle powers, they will be a growing factor in U.S. security strategy. Join our expert panelists in discussing some of the critical economic and political challenges that lie ahead for emerging Indo-Pacific AMICs and how a well-calibrated transition to new forms of bilateral partnership may help secure their successful transition.

Moderator
Nancy Yuan, Senior Vice President and Director, Washington, DC, The Asia Foundation

Featuring

Christopher Maloney, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Policy, Planning and Learning, USAID

Sudhir Shetty, Former Chief Economist, East Asia and the Pacific, World Bank

William Cole, Senior Advisor for Program Strategy, The Asia Foundation

Please contact dc.events@asiafoundation.org or call (202) 588-9420 to register for this event.

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