Measuring the Progress and Impact of Regional Cooperation and Integration

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The technical assistance (TA) will enhance the Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index (ARCII) framework by broadening data coverage in underrepresented economies and introducing new indicators to strengthen the ARCII framework's use and reliability. This initiative will align with regional cooperation and integration (RCI) strategies of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), particularly emphasizing subregional programs and applications in climate change and digitalization. Through consultations with relevant operations departments, sector and thematic groups, and resident missions, the TA will generate customized subregional ARCII estimates and evaluate progress in regional and global integration. The TA will continue producing ARCII estimates for ADB operations, including support to ADB's RCI operational plan and assessment of ADB-initiated subregional programs. To further enhance the ARCII's robustness, the TA will develop new bilateral and composite measures of regional integration. These metrics will be utilized in research and applications to analyze the drivers of RCI and its impact on economic development outcomes.