Asia

Human development has steadily improved across developing Asia, particularly in South Asia, and at the same time, poverty has decreased significantly across most of the region. The rapid growth in incomes among the poor, along with low unemployment, public transfers (such as pensions and cash transfers, among others), structural transformations and public investments have all contributed to the improvement.

However, there are many challenges to overcome, such as entrenched poverty, and high and rising inequality. In addition, the region’s population has continued to grow quickly, undermining progress on improving livelihoods and Asia also endures the double burden of stunting and obesity (both forms of malnutrition), which significantly reduces children’s health, imposing enormous human and economic costs. The region is also vulnerable to the effects arising from climate change, which adds a further burden to efforts geared toward meeting the SDGs.

OFID has longstanding ties with its Asian partners, a constituency that has grown to number 43 countries spread across the development spectrum.  In 2017, the region attracted US$434.9 million (29 percent of OFID’s 2017 approvals), with the energy sector receiving US$110.8 million, the financial sector US$95 million, the education sector US$87.1 million, transport US$80 million. The rest of the support was split between other sectors including health, industry, water and sanitation, and emergency assistance.

Collecting bread in Kabul.