Annual Meeting

Participation of Nongovernment Organizations (NGOs)

NGOs have participated in ADB Annual Meetings for over a decade, and are invited to attend the 36th Annual Meeting at the Lutfi Kirdar Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Annual Meeting presents a venue for NGOs to interact with ADB's Management and managers, as well as their countries' representatives on the Board of Directors and in country delegations.

Starting on Monday, 19 May 2003, several sessions will be held on topics of interest to NGOs. The program will include a general forum on cooperation between ADB and NGOs, a seminar on NGO-private sector partnership, and a discussion on environmentally and socially responsible procurement. Other seminars will focus on ADB's Inspection Function, and on the Framework for Action on ADB-Government-NGO Cooperation (2003-2005). In addition, a meeting will be organized between NGO representatives and a senior ADB official. ADB would like to optimize meaningful NGO participation at the Annual Meeting. The Information Kit on NGO Activities has been prepared as a guide to NGO consultations in Istanbul.

ADB will provide a working area and basic administrative assistance to NGOs at the Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre. A display area for NGO publications and informational materials will also be made available.

NGOs attending Annual Meetings must be accredited in advance. The Office of the Secretary is responsible for inviting and registering participants from among accredited NGOs. NGOs that have been accredited in past years retain their accreditation indefinitely unless the government of the country in which the NGO is based (host government) expresses an objection. The NGO Center coordinates the accreditation process. If an NGO wishes to be accredited, a letter expressing interest to attend the Annual Meeting -- together with the NGO's complete contact details -- must be transmitted to the NGO Center by no later than 31 March 2003. This information may be sent by fax [(632) 636.2444] or email (ngocoordinator@adb.org).

A requirement for NGO accreditation is endorsement by the host government. As requests for government endorsement may take time, it is strongly recommended that letters of interest from NGOs be sent to the NGO Center as soon as possible.

ADB does not limit the number of NGOs that attend the Annual Meeting, but due to space considerations, the number of persons representing an individual NGO may be limited. NGO representatives are responsible for their own travel and accommodations. ADB seeks broad representation from NGOs active in the development of the Asia-Pacific region, and encourages visitors to this page to share details about the Annual Meeting with other NGOs.