Frontier and Developing Asia:Supporting Rapid and Inclusive Growth

A Conference Jointly Organized by the IMF and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
International Conference Hall, JICA Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

February 17-18, 2015

The conference " Frontier and Developing Asia: Supporting Rapid and Inclusive Growth" will bring together ministers, central bank governors, academics, as well as IMF and JICA senior officials and staff, to discuss policies for promoting inclusive growth, and small and medium enterprise development, along with fiscal sustainability; and how finance, including the issues associated with dollarization, can be used to deliver macroeconomic stability and meet infrastructure needs for sustained development. The event will conclude with a high-level Roundtable Discussion.

Among the participants are Naoyuki Shinohara, Deputy Managing Director, and Changyong Rhee, Asia and Pacific Department Director, International Monetary Fund (IMF); and Akihiko Tanaka, President, and Kiyoshi Kodera, Vice President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

19:30-21:30

Welcome Dinner (Venue: Kensington Terrace, 12F, South Wing, Hotel Okura)

Speakers:
Kiyoshi Kodera, Vice President, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Changyong Rhee, Director, Asia and Pacific Department (APD), International Monetary Fund (IMF)

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

8:30–9:00

Registration

9:00–9:30

Welcome and Opening Remarks:

Akihiko Tanaka, President, JICA
Naoyuki Shinohara, Deputy Managing Director, IMF
Welcome Remarks

Masatsugu Asakawa, Director-General, Ministry of Finance, Japan

9:30–9:45

Photo Session

SESSION I

INCLUSIVE GROWTH

9:45–10:45

A. Promoting Inclusive Growth and Fiscal Sustainability

Moderator:
Kiyoshi Kodera, Vice President, JICA

Presenter:
David Coady, Lead Social Spending Expert, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
Presentation

Discussants:
Nguyen Lan Huong, Director General, Institute of Labour Science and Social Affairs, Vietnam
Presentation
Govind Raj Pokharel, Vice Chairman, Ministry of National Planning Commission, Nepal

Discussion

10:45-11:15

Coffee Break

11:15-12:00

B. Promoting Small and Medium Enterprise Development

Moderator:
Markus Rodlauer, Deputy Director, APD, IMF

Presenters:
Ganeshan Wignaraja, Director of Research, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), and Naoyuki Yoshino, Dean, ADBI
Presentation

Discussants:
Atiur Rahman, Governor, Bangladesh Bank
Bounthavy Sisouphanthong, Vice Minister, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Lao P.D.R.

Discussion

12:00–13:30

Lunch

SESSION II

STRENGTHENING CAPITAL AND FINANCIAL MARKETS

13:30–14:30

A. Dollarization or Dedollarization?

Moderator:
John Nelmes, Division Chief, APD, IMF

Presenters:
Ken Odajima, Executive Senior Research Fellow, JICA Research Institute, and Khou Vouthy, Director of the Economic Research and International Cooperation (ERIC), National Bank of Cambodia
Presentation

Discussants:
Vathana Dalaloy, Deputy Governor, Bank of the Lao P.D.R.
Presentation
Boldbaatar Dagva, Director General, Bank of Mongolia
Presentation

Discussion

14:30–15:30

B. How can Finance Help Frontier Asia Meet Infrastructure Needs and Address Demographic Challenges?

Moderator:
Naoyuki Yoshino, Dean, ADBI

Presenter:
Ding Ding, Senior Economist, APD, IMF
Presentation

Discussants:
CJP Siriwardana, Assistant Governor, Central Bank of Sri Lanka
Neav Chanthana, Deputy Governor, National Bank of Cambodia
Presentation

Discussion

15:30–16:00

Coffee Break

SESSION III

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS

16:00–17:00

Moderator:
Odd Per Brekk, Director, Regional Office of Asia and the Pacific, IMF

Panelists:
Bhutan―Lam Dorji, Finance Secretary, Ministry of Finance
Mongolia―Naidansuren Zoljargal, Governor, Bank of Mongolia
Maldives―Azeema Adam, Governor, Maldives Monetary Authority
Papua New Guinea―Patrick Pruaitch, Minister, Ministry of Finance

17:00–17:15

Closing remarks

Kiyoshi Kodera, Vice President, JICA
Changyong Rhee, APD Director, IMF

17:30–18:00

Press Conference
Press Release

Changyong Rhee, APD Director, IMF
Kiyoshi Kodera, Vice President, JICA