ADB to prepare new strategy

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 5

Trend:

Discussions, which were held during the 48^th meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Baku, will help make ADB stronger, better and faster, ADB President Takehiko Nakao said May 5 at the final press conference within the 48^th meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Baku.

Touching upon the issues raised during the annual meeting, he said that the ADB will continue to focus on reducing poverty and increasing inclusive growth.

Nakao also said that for nearly 50 years, ADB has remained the main structure, which is funding the creation and reconstruction of infrastructure in the region.

"We will continue to pay great attention to transparency and sustainability of infrastructure investments," said the head of the bank.

He also said that the ADB has considerable experience in promoting regional cooperation and integration.

"Enhanced possibilities of cooperation and trade are crucial for economic growth and poverty reduction," said Nakao. "We must encourage relations and trade between the regions."

Summing up, the head of the bank said that the ADB will continue to improve the efficiency of its operations.

"This year we will start preparing a new post-2020 strategy for the bank," said the president of the ADB. "The new strategy will be discussed at an international conference on development of financing in Addis Ababa in July 2015, and the goal of sustainable development must be approved in September. The strategy will also take into account the expansion of ADB's financing and changes in the conditions of development in the Asia-Pacific region."

He expressed gratitude to the government of Azerbaijan for hosting of the 48^th annual meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in Baku, for the warm welcome showed to guests.

In addition, Nakao congratulated a member of the ADB Board of Governors from Germany with holding of meeting of the Bank in 2016 in Frankfurt and thanked the government of Japan for hosting the 50^th meeting of the ADB Board of Governors in 2017.

Edited by CN