Cities have the potential to play a fundamental role in bringing entrepreneurs and workers together, creating new and better jobs, and driving economic growth.

ADB recently published a flagship report titled Asia Economic Integration Report 2021: Making Digital Platforms Work for Asia and the Pacific. The report looks at how regional economies can recover from COVID-19 by leveraging new technologies such as digital platforms and increasing services trade to reconnect and recover.

The team from Wedgewood White, Paul Webber, and Paul White shared their experiences about the financial impacts of COVID-19 and some of the strategies that have been put into place by utilities to ensure their ongoing financial sustainability during the pandemic.

Alexandra Conroy from ADB’s Pacific Department moderated the session.

The workshop provided information on the range of designs that have been implemented around the world to support improved handwashing. While this has not historically been a role for utilities, there is strong demand in many countries for utilities to support handwashing as a COVID-19 response measure.

This invitation-only event was organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and was a knowledge-sharing event under the “Space in Support for International Development Assistance,” a global initiative in partnership with ADB, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the World Bank.

The Pacific WASH Webinar Series is a collaboration between the ADB and the Pacific Water and Wastewater Association (PWWA) with its member utilities supported through WASH Regional TA-6551 Strengthening WASH Practices and Hygiene Behavioral Change in the Pacific.

The first webinar of the Virtual Dialogues on Resilient Infrastructure for 2021 focused on "business unusual for resilient urban infrastructure”. The webinar brought together experts and practitioners to discuss opportunities to accelerate innovation for resilient urban infrastructure.

16:00–18:30 Tokyo time