Feature Archive 2005
Learn more about our previous feature articles on development issues.

October-December 2005

Remembering Tsunami: A Year After

The Asian tsunami disaster struck exactly one year ago on 26 December 2004, spurring a cooperative relief and reconstruction effort unprecedented in scale. ADB responded rapidly to the tragedy by launching the largest grant program in its history. To date, ADB's total approved funding for tsunami-affected countries is US$851.4 million. Of this, $671 million, or 79%, is grant funding.

ADB President Remembers Asian Tsunami Victims - One Year On.

More Than $1.33 Billion in Assistance for Pakistan

ADB approved assistance totaling $1.333 billion for Pakistan, including grants and loans for reconstruction of areas worst hit by the 8 October earthquake. Full article.

India Country Strategy and Program Update 2006-2008

ADB's proposed assistance to India reflects the country's priority areas such as upgrades to national infrastructure and further development in the agriculture sector. Read the Country Strategy and Program Update 2006-2008.

HIV/AIDS in the Asian and Pacific Region

Using fairly conservative projections for HIV/AIDS prevalence, a new ADB study predicts a particularly large adverse impact on economic growth in Cambodia and Papua New Guinea. Read the full paper.

Bangladesh Country Strategy and Program 2006-2010

ADB's new Country Strategy and Program (CSP) for 2006-2010 for Bangladesh is a landmark harmonization initiative among development partners and will support the Bangladesh Government's national poverty reduction strategy. Read the full paper.

ADB President Announces US$1 Billion Aid for Quake-Hit Pakistan

At the International Donors' Conference in Islamabad, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda announced that ADB will provide about US$1 billion in concessional support for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of earthquake-hit Pakistan.

The support will help meet the estimated $5.2 billion required to reconstruct lost assets and restore services in Pakistan. Read the full story.

ADB Support for Asia's Fight Against Avian Flu Could Reach $470 Million

In the medium term, ADB could commit at least $470 million to support Asia's responses and readiness to fight avian flu, ADB announced at the global partners meeting on avian flu and the risk of a human flu pandemic in Geneva. Read the full story.

New Scope, New Momentum
Regional cooperation in Central Asia

Ministers from Central Asian and neighboring countries agreed on specific measures to accelerate economic cooperation in the region. "Through coordinated action, Central Asia can build on its strengths and again become a vital trade route linking the countries of the famed Silk Road between Asia and Europe," they said in a joint statement issued at the 4th Ministerial Conference on Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic.

New Mongolia Strategy to Address Growth, Social Development

A large percentage of Mongolia's population fell into poverty during the country's transition to a market economy. ADB's new Country Strategy and Program will help the government promote higher private sector-led growth and inclusive social development.

Toward a New Pacific Regionalism

Regional cooperation paves the way for lower transport costs, creates new employment opportunities, and increases resilience to economic shocks. A new report presents issues and possibilities for a new Pacific regionalism, as well as the benefits in store for the poor.

Trade Facilitation in Central Asia

One-stop Customs
Kazakhstan and Kyrgyz Republic are establishing a "one-stop shop" that will reduce customs procedures and border charges. Find out how ADB is helping.

Regional Trade Facilitation Program
Learn about ADB's program that facilitates trade through customs reform and modernization, and long-term cooperation and partnerships. The countries involved are Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, People's Republic of China, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

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July - September 2005

Leading Edge

ADB’s gender and governance project focuses on women because most of the poor are women. By providing training, local female leaders in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan are better able to interface with NGOs, government and their constituencies.

Asia to Grow by 6.6% Despite High Oil Prices

Developing Asia’s healthy expansion is expected to continue in the face of escalating oil prices, with growth projected of 6.6% in both 2005 and 2006, according to the Asian Development Outlook 2005 Update.

Full, Productive, Decent Employment Key to Fight Against Poverty

To help Asia's poor climb out of poverty and improve standards of living, governments across the region must promote full, productive, and decent employment, according to this year's Key Indicators (KI). Read the full report.

Supporting Pro-Poor Policies and Projects

With the support of the Netherlands' National Poverty Reduction Strategies fund and the United Kingdom's Poverty Reduction Cooperation fund, ADB is helping countries implement stronger national poverty reduction strategies and improve the lives of the urban and rural poor. Today, both funds are supporting 120 projects throughout Asia and the Pacific.

Linking Transport and Energy Infrastructure to Poverty Reduction

Infrastructure development plays an intermediate role in poverty reduction. A new study in three countries sheds light on how the benefits of improved transport and energy systems reach the poor. Read the full report.

Asia Economic Monitor Released

With the external economic environment turning somewhat less favorable this year and oil prices reaching record levels, East Asia is expected to experience a moderate slowdown, according to the latest Asia Economic Monitor. Read the highlights and main report.

A Class Act

A school in remote Mongolia is implementing a results-based management approach in primary education. Discover how teachers, school administrators and the local government are working together to change the way children are taught in the country. Read the full article.

New Philippines Country Strategy and Program 2005-2007

The results-based design and sharper focus of the new Philippines Country Strategy and Program for 2005-2007 incorporates the government's development plans and builds on past lessons to address poverty and overcome regional imbalances. Read the full paper.

NGO-Private Sector Partnerships

Individually, NGOs and the private sector play key roles in poverty reduction and sustainable development. While NGO-private sector partnerships are rising in the region, much remains to be done to unlock their full development potential. Read the full report.

Second Mekong Development Forum

Greater involvement of the private sector is crucial to meeting the Mekong region's development and infrastructure investment needs - estimated at $10 billion to $15 billion over the next 5 to 10 years - ADB Vice-President Liqun Jin told a forum in Tokyo. Full story.

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April-June 2005

Second GMS Summit

Prime ministers of six countries sharing the Mekong River concluded their two-day Summit meeting today by issuing the Kunming Declaration that renews their commitment to achieve an integrated, harmonious and prosperous subregion through forging stronger partnerships. Read more.

Asian Tsunami Disaster - Six Months On

Sunday, 26 June, marks six months since the earthquake and tsunami disaster that caused unprecedented devastation in the Asian countries bordering the Indian Ocean – especially northwest Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Maldives, and Thailand. After a disaster relief effort like no other in history, the next stage is to implement the multiple billion dollar reconstruction plans that have been put in place, a process that ADB is assisting. Full article.

Listening to the Voices from the Field

The insights of local groups provided valuable input for Nepal's new Country and Strategy Program. A new report shows how ADB protects indigenous peoples by involving them in the formulation of development roadmaps.

A Partnership Committed to Achieving Development Results

With determined focus on harmonization, alignment, and managing for results, ADB is working closely with its partners to reduce poverty and improve lives in the region by 2015. Read the full article.

How Effective is the Implementation of ADB's Water Policy?

ADB looks to its water policy in harnessing resources and catalyzing investments to increase people's access to water and sanitation by 2015. Has progress been made? ADB embarks on a groundbreaking review process to find some answers.

Cambodia: Land of their Own

In the past, Cambodia’s rural poor have lost their land for various reasons. Through a technical assistance package, ADB is helping the government implement the new land law and increase the public’s awareness of their rights and privileges. Full article

GMS Environment Ministers Meeting

About eighty senior environment officials from the Greater Mekong Subregion countries meet in Shanghai, PRC to take stock of achievements in environmental cooperation and discuss future directions in environment and natural resources management. Learn more.

Paying for Justice

Judicial reform helps directly reduce poverty. Through various projects, ADB is helping the poor get access to a fair and efficient justice system. Read the full article.

38th Annual Meeting - Relevance, Responsiveness and Results

At the close of the Asian Development Bank's 38th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda confirmed ADB's commitment to institutional change and renewal to better serve the needs of developing Asia and the Pacific. Read the news release.

Fast Funding

The prompt creation of the Asian Tsunami Fund for pooling disaster relief and reconstruction funds puts ADB in a leading position for aiding tsunami victims. Read the full story.

Evaluation: Creating Aquaculture Opportunities for the Poor

Aquaculture creates livelihood opportunities but the barriers to entry remain high for the poor. Find out how the poor in Bangladesh, the Philippines and Thailand overcame resource, access and technology barriers and improved their livelihoods through small-scale fish farming. Read the report.

Developing Asia 2005-2007: Robust and Resilient

Despite high oil prices and the devastating tsunami, developing Asia will achieve an overall economic expansion of 6.5% to 6.9% on the back of buoyant domestic demand and further strengthening of intraregional trade, according to ADB’s Asian Development Outlook 2005.

Launch of Asian Development Outlook 2005

ADB will publish the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) 2005, its annual forecast of economic trends in the Asia and the Pacific region, on Wednesday, 6 April. ADB Chief Economist Ifzal Ali will launch the ADO at a press conference in Hong Kong, China. Country launches in ADB's field offices are scheduled on the same day.

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January - March 2005

Rebuilding Lives after the Tsunami

Delegates to a high-level conference on reconstruction of countries devastated by the recent tsunami disaster backed a mechanism that would allow efficient and transparent tracking of the billions of dollars in assistance planned. Read the full story.

Microfinance as a Development Tool

In celebration of the International Year of Microcredit, ADB is hosting a series of events to raise awareness about microfinance as a poverty reduction tool, share best practices, and promote sustainable, commercial microfinance programs for the poor.

Empowering Women to Lead

Women have a large role in the fight against poverty. In a regional technical assistance project, women leaders in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan are applying an innovative framework to link government, NGOs, and their constituents at the grassroots level. Read the full report.

Strengthening Development Partnerships in the Fight Against Poverty

ADB, together with other multilateral and bilateral development organizations, is co-sponsoring the Second High Level Forum on Joint Progress Toward Enhanced Aid Effectiveness in Paris, France from 28 February to 2 March 2005. Learn more about the forum.

AIDS One of Greatest Challenges of Our Time, UNAIDS Chief Piot Tells ADB

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (21 February 2005) - HIV/AIDS poses one of the greatest challenges of our time, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) Executive Director told ADB personnel and press at Asian Development Bank (ADB) Headquarters today.

Timor-Leste: Local Knowledge

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - If you would have justice over past wrongs, govern yourself and succeed. It is with that old wisdom in mind that an observer might understand efforts at nurturing an infant civil administration in Timor-Leste.

New ADB President to Host High-Level Meeting on Tsunami Assistance

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (8 February 2005) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will host a high-level meeting in March to coordinate assistance to tsunami affected countries, ADB President, Haruhiko Kuroda, announced today.

21 January

ADB Pledges $800 million for Indonesia Assistance

The Asian Development Bank pledged new commitments for Indonesia in 2005 of up to $800 million for various development projects. These new commitments will add to the significant emergency assistance planned for the tsunami-affected areas of the country. Read the full article.

13 January

Tsunami Could Throw Nearly 2 Million More into Poverty in Affected Countries

The wall of water that ripped across southern Asia last month, killing more than 150,000, could throw nearly 2 million additional people into poverty, according to a report released today by ADB. Read the full report and related story.

7 January

Helping Rebuild Lives and Communities in the Tsunami Aftermath

ADB is offering up to $675 million to help finance priority reconstruction and rehabilitation work in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Maldives after the tsunami disaster last December. Teams of experts will begin to assess the extent of damage brought about by the tsunami, and determine the costs of reconstruction. More information....