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Good morning, and thank you for participating in ADB’s 41st Annual Meeting. I am pleased to have this opportunity to meet with you this morning.
A great deal has transpired since we last met in Kyoto one year ago. Most importantly, we launched Strategy 2020, a new long-term strategy for our vision of an Asia and Pacific region free of poverty. Through Strategy 2020, ADB will focus on three complementary agendas: inclusive growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
The strategy recognizes that the region must promote greater access to opportunities by expanding human capacities, especially for the disadvantaged, through investments in education, health, and basic social protections. It must also improve access by poor people to markets and basic productive assets by putting in place sound policies and institutions. Strategy 2020 also envisions operational partnerships with a diverse group of institutions, including NGOs and community-based organizations.
Energy security is one of the issues receiving priority attention under Strategy 2020. The region’s needs are huge and growing, and access to energy is central to growth and poverty reduction efforts. Yet the profound global challenge of climate change means that countries must shift to cleaner energy options to the extent possible. This is why we will significantly increase financial and technical assistance to our developing member countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Less than 3 weeks ago, for example, we announced support to the development of two wind power projects in India. More “green” projects are on their way in the months ahead.
Another significant development was yesterday’s agreement by donors to replenish the Asian Development Fund, a valuable endowment used to provide grants and very low-interest loans to some of the region’s poorest nations. Since 2001, ADF has supported construction of 38,000 schools and 6,700 health facilities. It has also provided over one million people with clean water connections, and supplied 820,000 households with new energy connections. We expect that “ADF X” will build on these accomplishments with effectiveness and clearly identified priorities.
I know that many of you are interested in the Safeguard Policy Update (SPU), which aims to improve our policies and focus ADB efforts on more effective implementation of projects in ways that better serve and protect the people and environment.
We have organized more than a dozen consultation workshops, which have engaged hundreds of stakeholders, one-third of them from civil society organizations and project affected communities. We have also received substantial written inputs, including from some of you here today. ADB will soon begin preparing a second Safeguard Policy Statement based on the feedback received through the extensive consultation process. We will then hold a consultation workshop at ADB headquarters to give stakeholders the chance to discuss the new document. It will also be posted on ADB’s website for public comment. We welcome your continued involvement in this process.
As we move forward to implement Strategy 2020, we will count on you to assist us in better serving the marginalized and disadvantaged populations that are the ultimate beneficiaries of ADB’s efforts. Your insights, experiences, and involvement can help us to do a better job of connecting with beneficiary communities, and avoiding problems in project implementation.
Once again, thank you for joining us in Madrid. And, for your ongoing advice and cooperation as we work toward a poverty-free Asia and Pacific region. I would now like to open the floor to your questions.