Asia 2050: Realizing the Asian Century

Asia Department. He has worked extensively on project and knowledge products on financial sector development, fiscal and governance reforms, infrastructure financing, and enabling public-private partnerships. He is the co-editor of "A Resilient Asia Amidst Global financial Crisis" (2010). Anil Sood, in his 30-year career at the World Bank, occupied many senior positions including Vice President, Strategy and Resource Management, and Special Advisor to the Managing Directors. He has since advised chief executives and senior management of a number of development organizations including the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa, on matters of strategy and development effectiveness.

themselves in a middle income trap where productivity and growth could stagnate for extended periods. The book identifies a wide range of wise and pragmatic policy and institutional interventions that must be made early on to avoid the middle income trap.

Yoon Jeung-hyun

Minister of Strategy and Finance, Republic of Korea



This book lays out a bold and ambitious agenda-national, regional and global-to lift an additional 3 billion Asians to affluence by 2050. As a long-standing friend of the region, I wish Asia's leaders great success in realizing this goal of the Asian Century. The book also highlights the critical role that Asia must play in global governance-as amply demonstrated by the ongoing discussions of the reform of the international monetary system.

Michel Camdessus

Chairman, Emerging Markets Forum and Former Managing Director, IMF



The book persuasively articulates the agenda to put Asia on a longer-term sustained growth trajectory. The book is being released at a time when Asia's economic resilience is attracting global attention. In the wake of recent global crisis, Asia has demonstrated the strength of their economies and heightened the aspirations of the Asians. This context makes the book a must read for economic and political leaders interested in long-term social and economic development of Asia.

Abul Maal Abdul Muhith

Minister of Finance, Bangladesh



In recent years, as the Asian economies are maintaining sustainable development with growing international influence, all eyes are increasingly on the future of Asia. The Study: Asia 2050-Realizing the Asian Century has mapped out a bright blueprint for it in the next four decades with a comprehensive analysis on the opportunities and challenges to be faced. The Study also puts forward some valuable policy notes which deserve our attention and contemplation.

In order to realize the goal of Asian Century as described in the Study, Asian countries should strengthen communication and coordination of their macroeconomic policies, grasp development opportunities and meet various challenges together, promote regional economic and social development and be actively engaged in reforming global economic governance to enhance the influence of Asia as a whole, and eventually make contributions to the development and prosperity of the global economy and society.

Li Yong

Vice Minister of Finance, PRC