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Asian Development Bank Profile

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Contents

Progress in Asia and the Pacific

In recent decades, the Asia and Pacific region has made remarkable progress in eliminating poverty. Strong economic growth has raised per capita incomes in most countries. The absolute number of poor also fell—from 900 million in 1990 to 600 million today. This is truly an impressive achievement and one that translates into more education, better health, longer lives, and greater opportunities for tens of millions of Asians.

But the unfinished tasks remain great. In addition to the hundreds of millions of Asians who survive on less than $1 a day, some 1.7 billion people make ends meet on less than $2 a day. Despite its success stories, the Asia and Pacific region remains home to two thirds of the world’s poor.

Vision and Mission

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to realizing its vision of an Asia and Pacific region free of poverty. An international development finance institution established in 1966, its mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people.

Focus

Under Strategy 2020, a long-term strategic framework adopted in 2008, ADB will follow three complementary strategic agendas: inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.

In the past 40 years, ADB has supported projects in agriculture and natural resources, energy, finance, industry and nonfuel minerals, social infrastructure, and transport and communications. To best meet the region’s needs and to make the most of its own expertise, ADB will focus on five core areas of operations in the years to 2020—infrastructure; the environment, including climate change; regional cooperation and integration; finance sector development; and education.

Partners

ADB’s main partners are governments, the private sector, nongovernment organizations, multilateral and bilateral agencies, community-based organizations, and foundations.

Instruments

In pursuing its vision, ADB provides different forms of assistance to governments and private enterprises in its developing member countries based on a member’s priorities. The main instruments are loans, technical assistance, grants, guarantees, and equity investments.

Loans, Technical Assistance, and Grants

In 2007, ADB approved loans worth $10.1 billion for 82 projects, most of which went to the public sector. Pakistan was the largest borrower, followed by Viet Nam, India, People’s Republic of China, and Indonesia. Technical assistance, which is used to prepare and implement projects and support advisory and regional activities, amounted to $243 million. Grant- financed projects totaled $673 million.

Loan and Grant Resources

ADB’s operations are financed by issuing bonds, recycling repayments, and receiving contributions from members. About 74.1% of the bank’s cumulative lending comes from its ordinary capital resources. ADB also provides loans from its Special Funds resources. Among them is the Asian Development Fund, which provides concessional loans to ADB’s least developed member countries. ADB also manages several trust funds and channels financing of grants provided by bilateral donors.

Cofinancing

In 2007, $1.1 billion in direct value-added cofinancing was arranged for 78 projects. Also including external financing through other parallel arrangements, each dollar lent by ADB was matched with $0.31 from official and commercial sources.

Regional

Nonregional

Shareholders

Of its 67 members, 48 are from the Asia and Pacific region. Forty-one are borrowing members. Japan and the United States are coequally the largest shareholders, each with 15.571% of total subscribed capital.

Management

ADB’s highest policy-making body is its Board of Governors, which meets annually and comprises one representative from each member. The Governors elect the 12 members of the Board of Directors. The ADB President, assisted by four Vice Presidents and a Managing Director General, manages the business of ADB.

Offices and Staffing

ADB is headquartered in Manila, Philippines. It has 26 other offices around the world. The organization has more than 2,000 staff members from over 50 countries.

Contact Information

Asian Development Bank
6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City
1550 Metro Manila, Philippines

Tel + 63 2 632 4444
Fax + 63 2 636 2444
information@adb.org
www.adb.org