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What does ADB do?ADB’s overarching goal is to reduce poverty in Asia and the Pacific. It helps improve the quality of people’s lives by providing loans and technical assistance for a broad range of development activities. Find out more about our operations. How is ADB different from commercial banks?ADB is a multilateral development finance institution that engages in mostly public sector lending for development purposes in its developing member countries. ADB’s clients are its member governments, who are also its shareholders. Why is ADB in Manila?On 30 November 1965, delegates of the United Nation's Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East voted Manila to host the ADB headquarters. Does ADB have offices in other countries?Yes. Our headquarters is in Manila, Philippines. We also have offices in many borrowing countries in Asia and the Pacific region as well as in three cities in developed member countries, namely, Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Washington, DC. What development issues does ADB focus on?We focus on poverty reduction. In doing so, we emphasize: In support of the above, ADB concentrates on:
Has ADB really made any difference?Yes. Over the years, we have played a significant contribution in economic and social transformation of Asia and the Pacific-- boosting economic growth, fostering social development, and helping improve the quality of life for millions of people. An ADB perceptions survey conducted in early 2006 revealed that more than 700 opinion leaders in 30 member countries viewed ADB as effective and largely successful in its work, but could do better. Read the 14 November 2006 news release about the survey. How is ADB helping Afghanistan?ADB is playing a crucial role in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. We will provide Afghanistan with more than $1 billion in assistance in 2005–2008 and more than $1.5 billion in 2002–2008. For further details, visit our Afghanistan Resident Mission web site. What sectoral priorities for Afghanistan's rehabilitation will ADB focus on?Since more than 80 percent of Afghanistan's population is dependent on agriculture for their livelihood, ADB considers agriculture and rural development as one of its priority sectors for rehabilitation. Other sectors include:
Is ADB a driving force behind globalization?No. ADB is a development bank, focused exclusively on reducing poverty in the Asia-Pacific region. It recognizes both the potential benefits and the downside risks of globalization - and tries to maximize the former and minimize the latter.
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