The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) vision provides the premise that SASEC countries---Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, and Sri Lanka---which have grown robustly in recent years, can tap each other's strength to realize their potential of propelling Asia's future growth. They can harness their individual comparative advantages by cooperating better in facilitating trade and enhancing connectivity, and providing the subregion's produce, better access to global and regional markets. The SASEC Vision demonstrates how enormous benefits can be achieved through regional cooperation, by leveraging opportunities and synergies between three levers---natural resources, industrial potential, and connectivity.

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The Asian Economic Integration Report 2017 is the annual report on Asia's progress in regional cooperation and integration (RCI) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). It covers ADB's 48 regional members and analyzes regional and global economic linkages. This year's special theme chapter, "The Era of Financial Interconnectedness: How Can Asia Strengthen Financial Resilience?" examines the region's ability to absorb financial shocks and avoid instability. The report introduces an RCI composite index to help monitor and evaluate RCI progress in the region. The Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index combines six RCI components: trade and investment, money and finance, regional value chains, infrastructure connectivity, movement of people, and institutional and social integration.

This report reflects the changes in the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) Program's operational plan for the period 2016–2025. It outlines the updates on the supporting list of priority projects resulting from a rigorous vetting process. This involves defining SASEC transport and energy networks and identifying priority projects based on preparedness and their roles in filling network gaps. The result is a more reasonable estimate of funding needs to help meet the SASEC Program's goals of multimodal connectivity, energy market development, and increased intraregional and interregional trade.

This publication is the annual report of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Asia's progress in regional cooperation and integration. It covers ADB's 48 regional members and analyzes regional and global economic linkages. This year's special chapter, "Toward Optimal Provision of Regional Public Goods in Asia and the Pacific," examines how collective action among countries can help find solutions to growing transnational development challenges. It discusses how to best provide regional public goods that transcend the so-called "collective action problem," which occurs when individual interests are too weak on their own to drive cooperation on common issues. The chapter suggests that multilateral development banks should act as honest broker in enhancing mutual trust and facilitating regional cooperation for regional public goods.

This publication identifies regional and subregional opportunities for Myanmar to harness natural and human resources, industrial potential, and infrastructure connectivity. It updates the Vision document of the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) program since Myanmar joined as the seventh official member in February 2017. Geographically sharing borders with the giant economies of India and the People's Republic of China, Myanmar serves as a land bridge between southern, southeastern, and eastern Asia. Myanmar's rich natural endowments, including oil and natural gas, and large and young labor force are also strategic advantages for regional cooperation and inclusive and sustainable growth.

Most South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) countries rely on maritime transport for their international trade. Stronger maritime links are crucial for the subregion to achieve its economic growth potential. For example, improved ports and port access will create better connectivity with Southeast Asia, one of the world's fastest growing economic regions. However, enhanced cooperation among the seven SASEC countries is essential to strengthen maritime links. This report provides an overview of the SASEC maritime sector, identifies the key challenges, and identifies priority collaboration initiatives to overcome them.