The Asia Pacific region has made significant progress in terms of reducing food insecurity. Despite the remarkable gains, the region is still faced with challenges such as the increasing demand, climate change, shrinking agriculture workforce, and unsustainable use of natural resources, among others. Promoting rural development is critical in helping solve food security issues and propelling economic development.

Smart grids, along with its component technologies, are increasingly becoming an important focus of the ADB energy portfolio in Bangladesh. This conference will serve as a platform to share information on international experience relevant to Bangladesh--these include examples, case studies, implementation roadmaps, frameworks, and strategies. The policy and regulatory environment required to foster low-carbon energy transition, leapfrog with smarter and inclusive technology solutions will be discussed as well.

In this roundtable, representatives from ADB Institute (ADBI), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and International Labour Organization (ILO) discussed management approaches on labor migration in Asia, as well as migration trends and policies in the region.

The iaTech 2018 conference aimed to promote learning and sharing of digital technology in internal audit for public sector internal auditors. The conference served as a platform for auditors helping and learning from auditors. It was also a networking opportunity for the members from 85 countries of the AuditWithoutWalls! community.

“Leaving no one behind” is the central principle of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Cooperation and inclusion are key concepts in its implementation which can be achieved through effective engagement with civil society organizations (CSOs) and NGOs. The advancement of the SDGs depends on concerted efforts by governments and all stakeholders, including CSOs, governments, international finance institutions like ADB, and other development actors.