Rapid globalization has led to increased flows of capital, services, ideas, information and people between countries. As such, problems and challenges that face one nation often have a rippling impact throughout the region and globally. The growing list of cross-border issues cannot be resolved by isolated policy action at the national or sub-national levels. It is essential to forge strategic alliances at the regional level which support the development of consolidated approaches through regional platforms for dialogue and action.

This book discusses regional governance mechanisms and institutional arrangements to respond to emerging cross-border issues and trends in Asia and the Pacific, such as the movement of people including refugees and illegal migrants, regional trade integration for human development, effective and efficient water management, human trafficking, and health focusing on infectious disease surveillance and response. Cross-Border Governance in Asia considers the following questions: What are the key cross-border governance issues in Asia?

What are the regional governance mechanisms to cope with these issues? How effective are the regional mechanisms and national institutional capacities in responding to these issues?

What is the impact of governance on the cross-border issues in Asia? What factors contribute to the success or failure of the mechanisms for regional cooperation?

• Cross-border governance in Asia: An introduction, G. Shabbir Cheema
• Governance and institutional issues in migration in Asia, Graeme Hugo
• Cross-border health cooperation in complicated regions: The case of the Mekong Basin
• Cross-border water governance in Asia, Mike Douglass
• Trade promotion in Asia: Issues and emerging trends, Taeho Bark
• Human trafficking and human rights in Asia: Trends, issues and challenges, Mely Caballero-Anthony
• Synopsis: Cross-border governance and the challenges of globalization, Christopher A. McNally