BY LORETTA B MANELE
Often, there are those one-off conferences, the recent CBSI-ADB-APAEA conference however, is not one of them says Prof Paresh Narayan of Monash University and APAEA (Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association).
Speaking at the “2nd CBSI-ADB-APAEA Joint Workshop” held at the Heritage Park Hotel just late last week, he voiced that the conference is about creating an ecosystem of high-quality policy research, knowledge sharing and the search for partnerships.
Prof Narayan said it is about creating an ecosystem of high-quality policy research with very strong academic rigor in that research.
“….as you will see throughout the day in the presentations, led by the central bank,” he added.
Prof Narayan expressed that this is a very important thing the central bank wants to share and it is the type of thinking that often happens behind closed doors as they don’t get access to central bankers.
He said apart from the conference being a knowledge-sharing conference, it is also about searching for partnerships and new ideas.
“We are here not to say that we have monopoly on the ideas that we are going to present, but we are here to also listen to you in terms of how we can improve on the type of research we are doing and the type of thinking that we bring to that research,” said Prof Narayan.
He also took the opportunity to speak on their collaboration with central banks in the Asia Pacific region.
Prof explained that the APAEA (Asia-Pacific Applied Economics Association) partners with 10 central banks in the region.
He said this partnership has made a landscape change to the type of policy research that is happening in the region.
Prof Narayan mentioned that the 10 central banks from the Pacific Island countries include; the Central Bank of Solomon Islands, the Reserve Bank of Vanuatu, the Reserve Bank of Fiji, and Bank PNG.
He said all the banks mentioned are present at the conference thus, the quality of the policy discourse that emerges out of this conference resonates right across the Pacific.
“And that is indicated by the fact that we have a very strong presence from all these central banks,” said Prof Narayan.
He noted that the workshop is also about creating a point of convergence of ideas and that’s the value the Central Bank of Solomon Islands brings.
“Yes, it is domesticated in terms of the policy discussions we will have, but it is also bringing together other central banks,” said Prof Narayan.
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