Two years since COVID-19 hit, economies across Southeast Asia are showing signs of recovery, although growth remains fragile, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) new report, Southeast Asia Rising from the Pandemic, which was launched during the third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). In Southeast Asia Rising from the Pandemic Report Launch and Fireside Chat, officials from ADB's Southeast Asia Department examined the damage caused by the pandemic, and the challenges countries continue to face and offered some recommendations to bolster growth.

With micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Southeast Asia contributing about 40% on average to each country's gross domestic product, governments need to ensure small businesses have access to credit and the capacity to deploy technology and take advantage of digital solutions and services, said experts at the third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS).

Southeast Asia needs to design and develop more bankable projects in order to mobilize private capital to finance its climate ambitions, said experts at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). In a panel, "Accelerating Climate Finance for Green Recovery," speakers explored steps needed to rapidly mobilize climate finance in Southeast Asia and presented examples and initiatives on strengthening the enabling environment and policy frameworks for green and climate finance.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given Southeast Asia the opportunity to reimagine its cities and make them more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable, said experts at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). In a panel, "The Future of Sustainable Cities," experts looked into policy actions and responses, financing options, digital solutions, and other innovations that can help Southeast Asia build more livable cities.

Moderator: Lauren Sorkin, Executive Director, Resilient Cities Network

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Across Southeast Asia, female leaders from different fields are driving the region’s sustainable transition through policymaking and the creation of new business models. In this session from the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS), experts discussed the innovative solutions and policies by female change-makers in the region. The session was organized by ADB and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia.

ASEAN has been an important player in the global value chains (GVCs) and global production networks for decades. In this session, experts at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS) examined the risks and challenges facing ASEAN's participation in GVCs and global production networks.

Moderator: Mia Mikic, Advisor, ARTNeT

Keynote: Caroline Freund, Dean, School of Global Policy and Strategy, University of California San Diego

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The Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) believes resilience is key to the tourism sector's recovery. In this session at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS), experts explored tools to help destinations, tourism businesses, and communities not only to recover from COVID-19 but also to be "future-proof." The session is organized by PATA.

In this session at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS), women leaders offered perspectives on the role empowered women can play in the region's recovery. The session was organized by World Women Tourism.

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As Asia embarks on its path of economic recovery in 2022, it gets a boost in regional cooperation as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement took effect on 1 January 2022. In this session at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS), experts looked at the finer points of RCEP to inform policy makers and the business community on what to expect from its implementation.

Since the pandemic, Asia has gone beyond just digital transformation, with the region clearly moving and with urgency toward digital acceleration, said Microsoft Asia Pacific President Andrea Della Mattea at the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) third Southeast Asia Development Symposium (SEADS). She highlighted the need to skill the region's workforce, noting that it is people that drive digital transformation.

SEADS 2022, "Sustainable Solutions for Southeast Asia's Recovery," was held on 16–17 March.