Improving Policy Efficiency in South Asia

This project within the South and East Asian Economic Integration initiative seeks ways to improve policy processes and regional cooperation mechanisms for promoting efficient trade, investment and development in South Asia, and its integration into the wider Asian region.

It will study the institutional circumstances affecting the efficiency of economic policy formation, development and implementation in key South Asian economies and compare them with institutions and practices within the region and elsewhere; it will examine the scope for international support in strengthening institutional capacities; and it will seek to formulate recommendations on institutional design aimed at improving policy outcomes targeted to individual economies in South Asia.

To serve this aim, the project is commissioning research papers from key research institutes around the region that will:

• review the recent policy reform experience in that country;
• outline the next big two or three policy reform priorities that are recognised by the government or the community of that country;
• identify the binding institutional constraints that have prevented (or will prevent) good policy outcomes;
• identify positive institutional approaches that have helped to deliver good policy outcomes.