The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is one of Switzerland's priority multilateral organisations. It is committed to a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia and Pacific region. The ADB was founded in 1966 and has 68 member states, including 49 from the region itself. It provides its members with loans, technical assistance, grants and equity investments in order to promote social and economic development.
The AsDB assists its members by providing loans, technical assistance, grants and equity investments to promote social and economic development.
In 1973 the ADB set up the Asian Development Fund (ADF), which provides lower-income members with non-repayable grants and technical assistance. This helps to close the development gap in the Asia and Pacific region, which is home to some of the world's fastest-growing and weakest economies.
The issues
The ADB and ADF base their activities on the Strategy 2030, a vision for a prosperous, inclusive, resilient and sustainable Asia and Pacific region. This includes seven operational priorities:
- Addressing remaining poverty and reducing inequalities
- Tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability
- Promoting rural development and food security
- Fostering regional cooperation and integration
- Accelerating progress in gender equality
- Making cities more livable
- Strengthening governance and institutional capacity
The ADB will also focus on:
- Expanding private sector operations
- Catalysing and mobilising financial resources for development
- Strengthening knowledge services
Selected targets:
- By 2030, at least 75% of the ADB's committed operations (on a 3-year rolling average) will support climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate finance from the ADB’s own resources will reach USD 80 billion cumulatively from 2019 to 2030.
- By 2030, at least 75% of the ADB's committed operations (on a 3-year rolling average) will promote gender equality.
- By 2024, the ADB will expand its private sector operations to reach one-third of its total operations.
Switzerland's engagement
Switzerland has been a member of the ADB since 1967 and has contributed to the ADF since its establishment in 1973. The bank's mission is in step with Switzerland's own objectives to reduce poverty while promoting environmentally and socially sustainable economic development. To this end, Switzerland plays an active role in the discussions and decision-making processes of the ADB's Board of Governors and Board of Directors.
In the medium term, Switzerland will support and monitor the ADB's efforts in the following areas in particular:
- Promoting inclusive growth in developing countries in the Asia and Pacific region
- Improving organisational efficiency
- Improving climate and disaster resilience
- Strengthening private sector development in developing countries
- Fostering conflict sensitivity in the ADB's work
Challenges
Overall, the ADB scores well for its effectiveness and is seen as one of the most efficient and best-managed multilateral organisations worldwide. Certain challenges need to be addressed however:
- For example, the inclusiveness and sustainability of ADB operations could be improved. More attention should also be paid to climate change mitigation and to including conflict and disaster risk awareness measures in ADB projects. This also applies to improving private sector operations.
- Another recurring issue is the consistently low numbers of women staff, particularly at management level.
- Having requested that measures be taken in these areas, Switzerland will continue to closely monitor how the ADB implements them. This monitoring will include feedback from the Swiss embassies in the region
