Participation of Nongovernment Organizations (NGOs)

NGO Program of ADB's 38th Annual Meeting

All meetings will be held in the NGO Room (Ahmet Fethi Pasha Hall) unless otherwise indicated.

14.00-16.00  -  Open Forum on ADB-NGO Cooperation
Location: Topkapi B

The Open Forum has become a regular fixture at the ADB Annual Meeting. For this year’s meeting, ADB's NGO Center will brief delegates on implementation of the ADB-Government-NGO Cooperation Framework, and on the development of a new action plan for ADB engagement of civil society organizations through 2010. Participants will be invited to offer comments on the Framework, and present suggestions for developing the new medium-term action plan.

Read the summary.

Tuesday, 3 May

11.00-12.00  -  Meeting with ADB Senior Staff

NGOs will have an opportunity to share their views on ADB operations and topical development issues with a senior ADB official.

Read the summary.

13.45-15.45  -  Panel Discussion on Anticorruption and Governance

ADB is now in the process of reviewing the implementation of Board-approved policies on anticorruption and governance. Panelists will offer perspectives on how implementation of these two policies is progressing and, in particular, how ADB works to prevent corruption in its assisted activities, and how it encourages good governance in its developing member countries.

Participants:

Ms. Natalia Ablova, Director, Bureau on Human Rights and Rule of Law, Biskek, Kyrgyz Republic
Mr. Manish Bapna, Executive Director, Bank Information Center, Washington, DC, USA
Mr. Jak Jabes, Director, Governance and Regional Cooperation Division, RSDD, ADB
Mr. Peter Pedersen, Auditor General, ADB

16.00-17.00  -  Briefing on the Review of Implementation of ADB's Water Policy

Mr. Robert J. Dobias, Director, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Social Sectors Division, RSDD, ADB, will brief delegates, and welcome questions on the ongoing review of the implementation of ADB's Water Policy.

Wednesday, 4 May

10.00-10.30  -  Opening Event of the Annual Meeting: "Sound of Istanbul"
Location to be announced

10.30–12.00  -  Opening Session of the Board of Governors
Location to be announced

13.45-15.15  -  Panel Discussion on Development Effectiveness and Poverty Reduction

ADB is working to improve its development effectiveness by introducing techniques to manage better for development results. Through its reform agenda, ADB aims to improve development results on the ground; enhance openness, accountability, and responsiveness; and strengthen organizational capability. This panel will explore ADB’s efforts to strengthen its development effectiveness and how such efforts relate to the institution’s overarching objective of reducing poverty.

Participants:

Mr. Marcus Heinz, Governor (Alternate), ADB Board of Governors (to be confirmed)
Mr. Isagani Serrano, Sr. Vice President, Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement (to be confirmed)
Mr. Renato Redentor “Red” Constantino, Greenpeace Southeast Asia (to be confirmed)

Thursday, 5 May

10.00-11.00  -  Panel Discussion on ADB Safeguard Policies

This panel will explore the application of ADB safeguard policies concerning indigenous peoples, involuntary resettlement, and the environment. NGO representatives will provide information on perceived problems in applying the safeguards, and offer recommendations to ADB. Views expressed will be taken into consideration during the forthcoming update of the safeguards.

Participants:

Mr. Bindu Lohani, Director General, RSDD
Ms. Cinnamon Dornsife, Advisor, First Voice International (to be confirmed)
Mr. Hemanta Withanage, Executive Director, NGO Forum on ADB, Philippines (to be confirmed)

Read the summary.

14.30-16.30  -  Panel Discussion on NGO-Business Partnerships in Delivering on Sustainable Development

NGO and corporate representatives will discuss opportunities for NGOs and the private sector to collaborate on initiatives promoting sustainable development.

Participants:

Mr. Robert J. Dobias, Director, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Social Sectors Division, ADB
Ms. Yesim Erkan, Director, International Relations, Tema Foundation, Turkey
Mr Jean-Paul Jeanrenaud, Director of Business and Industry Unit, WWF International, Switzerland
Mr. Longgena Gnting, Campaign Coordinator, International Financial Institutions, Friends of the Earth International, The Netherlands (to be confirmed)

Moderator:

Ms. Veronica John, Sr. Structured Finance Specialist, Private Sector Operations Department, ADB

This schedule will be updated as new information becomes available and additional activities are added to the NGO Program.

View the list of official Annual Meeting Events and seminars.

NGOs have participated in ADB Annual Meetings for over a decade, and are welcome to attend the 38th Annual Meeting at the Lutfi Kirdar Istanbul Convention and Exhibition Centre (ICEC) in Istanbul, Turkey. The Annual Meeting presents a venue for NGOs to interact with ADB's Management and managers, as well as with government representatives on the Board of Directors and in country delegations.

Around 70 NGO representatives from 23 member countries are expected to participate in this year's Annual Meeting. Starting on 2 May 2005, several sessions will be held on topics of interest to NGOs, starting with a general forum on cooperation between ADB and NGOs (see program below).

The NGO Program will also include a meeting between NGO participants and a senior ADB official. ADB will provide an NGO Room and basic administrative assistance to NGOs at the ICEC. The NGO Room is at the Ahmet Fethi Pasha Hall and will have a large conference hall and an enclosed small meeting room. The conference hall is intended for seminars and other major NGO consultations, while the meeting room may be reserved by NGO participants to hold small meetings and informal discussions. A computer with Internet access and a printer will be made available for participants. NGO publications and informational materials may be displayed at a designated area in the NGO Room.

For questions and suggestions, please email ngocoordinator@adb.org.