Catalog

	Table of Contents
p. 3 of 11 BACK | NEXT 2002 in Review: Board of Directors' Report Reconstructing nations Supporting regional cooperation Reorganizing internally Adopting new policies and procedures Reviewing existing policies Broadening development partnerships Undertaking its Work Board committees

Annual Report 2002

---

Supporting regional cooperation

By acting jointly, countries can improve their development prospects and strengthen their ability to reduce poverty, increase private sector investment, promote peace and security, and achieve sustainable development. Together, they can mitigate the adverse effects of negative externalities and create an environment where common services and development programs can be shared.

As a regional institution, ADB has a clear comparative advantage in promoting regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific, and has done so since opening its doors in 1966. In November 2002, ADB and the six DMC partners of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Program—Cambodia, People’s Republic of China (PRC), Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam—celebrated an important milestone, which ADB had helped broker. The first GMS Summit, held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November, commemorated the 10th anniversary of the GMS Program. For more on the GMS Summit, see the Operational Priorities and Performance chapter and http://www.adb.org/Documents/Events/Mekong/2002/summit.asp).

ADB also joined DMCs from other regional groups in furthering their shared development goals. ADB hosted the first ministerial meeting on economic cooperation in Central Asia for the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation program in March (see http://www.adb.org/Documents/Events/2002/CAREC/), and helped organize a meeting of country advisors for the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation initiative in October. For more on regional cooperation, see http://www.adb.org/RegionalCooperation/.

Back Reconstructing nations	Next Reorganizing internally