Description

Sharpening the focus on knowledge will enable the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to better understand and respond to a rapidly changing development environment in Asia and the Pacific. Despite the region’s remarkable economic success, recent internal and external shocks, and emerging development challenges point to an increasingly uncertain future.

Where once client governments mainly required financial resources, they are now increasingly asking for technical and knowledge support to move forward on sustainable development, climb out of middle-income traps, and grow more inclusively. Meeting this need requires blending know-how with financial resources—and ADB and other development banks will increasingly be judged by how well they achieve this.

As a key development player in the region, ADB could be at the forefront in specific knowledge areas and at the cutting edge in connecting knowledge with financing for better development results. The special evaluation study Knowledge Products and Services: Building a Stronger Knowledge Institution examines how ADB can become a stronger knowledge institution.