Publications

	Table of Contents
p. 1 of 14 BACK | NEXT I. Introduction II. Taking Stock of Progress III. The Current Development Environment in the Region IV. The Changing Role of the Bank V. The Bank's Strategic Directions FRO 1995-1998 VI. Organizational Implications and Capacity Building Requirements of the Bank

The Bank's Medium-Term Strategic Framework

---

I. Introduction

1. The External Panel Report of 1989 entitled "The Asian Development Bank in the 1990s" charted for the Bank its strategic directions for the present decade. Among the more significant recommendations were the need to balance the Bank's focus on economic growth in its developing member countries (DMCs) with support for social infrastructure development, improvement of the living standards of the poorest groups, protection of the environment, and a reorientation of the public sector to meet these new priorities.

2. The Bank's Medium- Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) papers, starting from 1992, have followed through on the directions broadly set out by the External Panel Report. The Bank's medium-term strategy has formally adopted the objectives of economic growth, poverty reduction, improving the status of women, facilitating progress in population planning and environment protection. These objectives are supported by specific thematic priorities, also formally adopted by the Bank to guide its operations in the medium term, such as encouragement of private sector development, strengthening public sector management capacity, human resource development, and natural resources management. The strategic development objectives are further supported by a country-focus to Bank operations.

3. Each year the President provides the Board and staff with a revised and updated version of the MTSF, taking account of feedback from ongoing Bank operations, recent developments in the global and regional environment, as well as views expressed by the Bank's member countries at the preceding Annual Meeting and other forums. Thus, this paper presents the Bank's revised MTSF for the period 1995-1998. It takes stock of progress in implementing the Bank's earlier MTSF, reviews the relevance of that document in the context of the current development environment in which the Bank operates, and identifies the adjustments needed in Bank strategies and operating systems to ensure continuing organizational effectiveness.

Back The Bank's Medium-Term Strategic Framework	Next II. Taking Stock of Progress