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ADB Reorganization Will Benefit Members Through Stronger Country Focus

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (9 January 2002) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has re-organized its operational departments to strengthen the country focus of its activities. The reorganization became effective on 1 January 2002.

ADB's developing member countries will benefit, as assistance programs will be more integrated and effective as a result of being based on a country's overall requirements, rather than by sector or theme.

"The reorganization will help ADB deliver its agenda to its member countries more effectively than ever," says ADB President Tadao Chino. "It will also help us improve our work environment, raise our output and enhance the efficient and effective management of our knowledge and information resources."

Highlights of the reorganization are:

• Five regional departments - East and Central Asia, Mekong, Pacific, South Asia, and Southeast Asia - will replace the former broad division between East and West. Having more departments covering fewer countries will facilitate a greater country focus and promote better subregional cooperation. A country-focused approach can better achieve goals such as poverty reduction, good governance, and capacity building, as these are complex challenges that are different in each country.

• A new Regional and Sustainable Development Department will serve as a center of sector and thematic expertise, supporting other departments. It will develop policies and guidelines, and monitor their implementation to ensure bankwide consistency. It will also support regional development functions and strengthen ADB's role in linking the region to global networks and partnerships. It will also monitor ADB's compliance with its own policies and guidelines.

• The Private Sector Group will be upgraded to a department, reflecting ADB's increasing emphasis on private sector development and its potential contribution to ADB's overarching goal of poverty reduction. The Private Sector Operations Department will continue to manage ADB's private sector operations, integrate private sector operations into country programs, and coordinate support for privatization, corporatization, and public-private partnerships.

• As part of ADB's growing need for knowledge management, the Economics and Development Resource Center will also be upgraded to a department and the Office of External Relations will join a group of knowledge management units and report directly to the President.

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