A Full 2014 Agenda for the Asian Development Bank

From 22 to 25 January, ADB President Takehiko Nakao will participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. Held under the theme “The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business,” this year’s event will once again see business, political, academic and other leaders of society gather to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

The 100th day anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), which devastated the Philippines’ Eastern Visayas region in November 2013, will fall in February. ADB has so far approved $900 million in assistance for livelihood restoration, infrastructure reconstruction, climate resilience initiatives, conditional cash transfers, and natural resource management in affected communities. Up to $150 million from ongoing projects can also be reallocated to support this effort, which would push ADB’s assistance in excess of $1 billion.

In March, the first Asia Bond Monitor (ABM) report for 2014 will be released. The publication reviews developments in East Asian local currency bond markets along with the outlook, risks, and policy options. The Asia Bond Monitor has become the definitive guide to the development and structure of the emerging East Asian bond markets.

In April, the 2014 edition of the Asian Development Outlook (ADO) will analyze economic performance of the past 12 months and offer forecasts for 45 economies in Asia and the Pacific.

ADB’s 47th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors will be held from 2 to 5 May in Astana, Kazakhstan. Among other things, delegates will convene to discuss ADB’s Strategy 2020 Midterm Review, a process involving management, staff and stakeholders looking at ADB’s strengths as well as areas where performance needs improving.

In June, energy issues related to access, technology, finance and policy will be discussed at the ninth annual Asia Clean Energy Forum 2014, which will be held at ADB Headquarters in Manila.

The Asian Economic Integration Monitor, a semiannual review of Asia’s regional economic cooperation and integration efforts that covers 48 Asia and the Pacific countries, will be published in July.

ADB’s flagship annual statistical data book, Key Indicators for Asia and the Pacific, will be launched in August. The publication presents economic, financial, social, environmental, and Millennium Development Goals (MDG) indicators for regional members of ADB.

In September, senior ADB staff will attend the United Nations 69th General Assembly, which provides a unique forum for multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues.

In October, ADB will join the international community in marking UN International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. ADB has nine developing member countries where over 10% of the population still lives in extreme poverty.

The 20th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 20) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will convene in November. Participating ADB officials will draw attention to key issues facing the Asia-Pacific region as it transitions toward low-carbon and climate resilient development.

In December, ADB will renew its commitment to an Asia and the Pacific free of poverty and void of corruption by participating in international Anti-Corruption Day. The effectiveness of ADB’s support to governments in Asia and the Pacific in their efforts to lift millions out of poverty would be greatly compromised without its integrity and anti-corruption practices.