Southeast Asian countries must brace for headwinds including the longer-term risks of future pandemics and climate change, supply chain disruptions, rising oil and commodity prices, and prolonged geopolitical instability, said Singapore Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance, and Second Minister for National Development Indranee Thurai Rajah at the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS).

With COVID-19 hurting the most vulnerable in Southeast Asia, countries need to focus on solutions that would create opportunities and bolster well-being of people hurt the most by the pandemic, including women and girls and the poor, said leaders at the third Southeast Asia Asia Development Symposium (SEADS).

At the CNBC-moderated opening plenary panel, “Building Back Better through Inclusive Solutions,” speakers agreed on the need for relevant sectors to collaborate to foster an inclusive recovery for the region.

Speakers:

To foster recovery, Southeast Asia needs to build up digital capabilities and arm small businesses with the tools to harness technology, said Grab Cofounder Hooi Ling Tan at the third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). She also stressed the need to boost the credit access of small business owners and highlighted the role of fintech solutions to improve financial inclusion.

In this presentation, Dr. Fraser Thompson discussed what is Industry 4.0 and its various gaps in jobs and skills impacts. He also presented the four key insights that emerged from their analysis of I4.0’s impact son jobs, tasks, and skills in Cambodia’s garment manufacturing and tourism industries.