Availability of adequate and comparable data at one place for different States on various dimensions – economic, social and demographic – can aid in conducting relevant research on sub-national challenges, opportunities and feasible policy options.

Risk factors that could affect the economic outlook are present and relatively prevalent, despite signs that the COVID-19 health crisis could ease significantly. Continuation of the war in Ukraine and prolonged restrictions on exports from Russia could put further upward pressure on food and energy prices.

Chapter 1 of this report looks at these conditions in some length. The analysis covers all the 15 member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS): Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

The economic outlook for Southern Africa will be affected by an additional threat that arises from global warming. The 13 countries are intertwined in a climate-water-energy-food nexus with a high reliance on climate-sensitive sectors.

In 2021, North Africa showed strong signs of recovery from a downturn in 2020 due to the global pandemic and concomitant oil price collapse.

A new World Bank report estimates that India will need to invest $840 billion over the next 15 years—or an average of $55 billion per annum—into urban infrastructure if it is to effectively meet the needs of its fast-growing urban population.

As nations convene for the 27th UN Climate Conference (COP27), the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has set out the actions needed to ensure global efforts towards a low-carbon future don’t leave least developed countries (LDCs) behind.

The Coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and climate change have all hampered Africa’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Halfway towards 2030, most African countries are struggling to meet most SDG targets.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts are urgently needed across Southeast Asia. The financial sector can play a critical role in supporting countries in their journey toward greater resilience and sustainability, but it must adapt to do so effectively.

This book, explores the crucial role of subnational levels of government in accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific. Subnational governments implement public policies, facilitate partnerships among stakeholders, and act as interlocutors between communities and the state.