Regional and Sustainable Development Department

Special Initiatives Group

The Special Initiatives Group under the office of the Director General (RSOD-SI) represents an organizational innovation and is intended to be a flexible institutional mechanism. Its mandate is to focus on bringing innovative and responsive solutions to the major emerging challenges in the region, providing ADB with a continuing source of new ideas and business opportunities in development.

RSOD-SI is staffed in a flexible manner, allowing for engagement of high-value skills on a contract, short-to-medium term basis to provide issue-specific support, as needed. It works collaboratively with the divisions and units of RSDD.

The Innovation and Efficiency Initiative (IEI) mandate aims to make and keep ADB more client- and results oriented, efficient, and effective. IEI focuses on developing change proposals in the following areas:

• Pilot Financing Instruments and Modalities
• Multitranche Financing Facility
• Subsovereign and Nonsovereign Public Sector Financing Facility
• Local Currency Loan Product
• Refinancing
• Financing Syndication and Risk-Sharing
• Cost-Sharing and Expenditure Eligibility
• Procurement and Consultancy Services
• Further Enhanced Country Strategy and Business Processes
• Safeguards

In collaboration with other special multidisciplinary teams anchored in RSDD, the Special Initiatives Group will act as a center for identifying and implementing special initiatives to develop and implement new business concepts. Currently, RSDD has special initiatives in the following areas:

• Energy Efficiency Initiative
• Carbon Market Special Initiative
• Urban Services Initiative
• Community Driven Development
• Water Financing Program
• Rural e-Development Initiative