Ashok Lavasa

VP Ashok Lavasa on 20 January 2023 met with India’s Finance Minister and ADB Governor Nirmala Sitharaman and affirmed ADB’s continued support to the Government of India’s flagship programs, priority infrastructure projects, and transformative initiatives such as scaling up clean technologies. The VP reiterated that the upcoming country partnership strategy for India for 2023-2027 would be aligned to the government’s development priorities. He discussed ADB’s New Operating Model integrating sovereign and nonsovereign operations to augment private sector investments and climate finance, promote public-private partnerships, and provide knowledge support. He also discussed ADB's support to India’s G20 presidency. VP Lavasa also met with Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and a number of private sector clients.

VP Ashok Lavasa on 16 January 2023 in Maharashtra delivered the welcome speech at a high-level workshop on Financing Cities of Tomorrow as a part of the first Infrastructure Working Group (IWG) meeting under the India G20 presidency. ADB South Asia Urban Development and Water Division Director Norio moderated a session on the financial capacity needs to increase private sector financing. Office of Public-Private Partnership Head Cleo delivered the closing remarks. ADB presented the “Architecture for Capacity Building of Local Governments for Building Inclusive, Resilient, and Sustainable Cities" concept to the IWG. ADB is leading this deliverable as a knowledge partner under the India G20 Presidency. 

VP Ashok Lavasa during his visit to Bangladesh from 7-11 December 2022 discussed ADB's continued support for private sector development, public-private partnerships, and climate change initiatives in meetings with senior government officials and sector leaders. The VP highlighted ADB’s priorities on green growth, use of innovative technologies, prudent macroeconomic management, higher domestic resource mobilization, just energy transition, enhanced service delivery, and more efficient project implementation. At the Bangladesh PPP Monitor launch on 8 December, the VP emphasized the value of conducive regulatory and institutional frameworks, public institutions’ capacity to prepare projects, and balanced risk allocations. VP Ashok also visited PPP projects and discussed the New Operating Model with Bangladesh Resident Mission staff.  

VP Ashok Lavasa participated in the signing ceremony on 11 December 2022 for a €10.8 million facility agreement with Envoy Textiles Limited. The loan will fund a new, automated, and more energy-efficient yarn spinning unit for Envoy’s in-house denim fabric production. This is ADB’s first private sector project in the textile sector in Bangladesh in two decades. Read the news release.

VP Ashok Lavasa on 28 November 2022 moderated the discussion on Resilient Supply Chains for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation organized by ADBI as part of its Annual Conference held under the theme Fostering Resilient Global Supply Chains amid Risk and Uncertainty. The panelists discussed the challenges and policy recommendations needed to enhance the resilience of supply chains for climate mitigation and adaptation. They highlighted the importance of diversification of supply chains, regional cooperation for environmental innovation, and building resilience to climate change. They also discussed the need for government policies to induce demand for green growth. The panelists included experts from the University of Birmingham, International Solar Alliance, United Nations University, and the International Renewable Energy Agency.