Regions and Countries

	Table of Contents
p. 7 of 21 BACK | NEXT I. Country Performance Assessment II. Country Operational Strategy III. Sector Strategies IV. Regional Cooperation V. Donor Activities and Aid Coordination VI. Cofinancing and Catalyzing External Resources VII. ADB’s Operational Program VIII. Economic and Sector Work Program IX. Local Cost Financing

Country Assistance Plans - Kiribati

---

A. The COS

14. The ADB's strategy is to promote sustainable growth, to reduce poverty, and to improve the living standards of the people of Kiribati. ADB aims to achieve these objectives by enabling the Government to effectively implement its MTS and to start a process of empowerment of local governments. ADB operations focus on supporting poverty reduction, public sector reform, provision of social infrastructures, and development of the outer islands.

15. In line with its operational strategy, ADB assistance during the 2001-2003 period will focus on the following: (i) continued support for public sector institutional reform, including the PUB and Town Councils; (ii) development of the outer islands through improved infrastructure in support of poverty reduction, promotion of employment generation activities, and improved health and education facilities; and (iii) assistance for initial design of a strategy and identification of related policy reforms for a more holistic approach to public sector reform.

B. Progress in Implementation

16. The participatory system that characterizes the I-Kiribati culture requires that most of the issues be discussed in Parliament and approved by the Cabinet of Ministries. In particular, the public service reform is already facing some opposition. In fact, because Kiribati is not confronting an imminent financial crises as other PDMCs, there is no trigger to the reform process. This process has to be driven by a desire for a better return on the island's scarce resources. This requires close interaction (particularly, "benchmarking"), monitoring, and necessary action by the Government and ADB.

C. Poverty Partnership Agreement

17. The Poverty Reduction Strategy of the ADB observes that with Pacific island members, ADB will take the lead in capacity building for poverty analysis, closely integrating its efforts with those of governments and other development agencies⁶. The Government of Kiribati asked for ADB assistance to undertake a household survey in order to provide data for identifying a country specific poverty line and to prepare a poverty reduction strategy to be reflected in the Medium Term Strategy. This would lay the foundation for the Poverty Partnership Agreement between the Government of Kiribati and the ADB.

____________________

Back E. Implementation Assessment	Next III. Sector Strategies