Economic and social survey of Asia and the Pacific 2022

The Asia-Pacific region has been leading the global economic growth over the past few decades. However, rapid economic growth without sufficient inclusiveness is now constraining the region's future economic and broader development prospects. The COVID-19 pandemic has further revealed the vulnerability of the region due to lack of inclusiveness. The Survey 2021 estimated that 89 million people could have been pushed back into extreme poverty in the region due to COVID-19, contributing to an already increasing trend in income inequality in Asia and the Pacific. Going forward, concerns over a "K-shaped" economic recovery, both within and across countries, and the desire to ensure that the post-pandemic recovery is consistent with long-term inclusive development are broadly shared among policy makers and experts, as revealed during policy dialogues organized to disseminate the messages of Survey 2021. Additionally, international commitment to inclusive development, as manifested in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is pushing distributional issues to the forefront of global policy agenda. With a focus on the role of economic policies in promoting inclusive development, the Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2022 will analyze the importance of effective government actions and the role of fiscal, monetary/financial and structural policies in enhancing inclusiveness, keeping in view the considerable impacts of COVID-19 on inclusiveness and inequality.