16/12/2010 - 17/12/2010 : ASEM Conference: Investment and its Financing

This conference provided senior officials, academia, and private sector participants with an analysis of key issues for Asia and the EU in the aftermath of the worst global financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression. It was a unique opportunity to examine what drives investment in Asia and Europe and to exchange views about policy challenges that lie ahead. The Conference also provided invaluable input to the ASEM process.

Investment has come down in many Asian countries since the Asian crisis in 1997/98 and has not fully recovered in most of these countries. It is still unclear whether or not the investment level reached since 1999 is inappropriately low or not. The conference attempted to draw new insights into this question, from the expertise of the speakers gathered on this occasion. A return to the investment levels of the early and mid 1990s would help boost domestic demand in Asia (especially in Southeast Asia) and consequently contribute to the rebalancing of global demand.

We invited representatives from the ministries of finance and/or ministries of economy from each of the 46 ASEM member countries to attend the conference together with participants of central banks, multilateral organisations, think-tanks and academia.

Please use the website of the event organisers to find more information.

>> Press release - conference announcement(73 kB)  

>> Press release - conference conclusion(76 kB)