FAQs

 

What is ADB?

Established in 1966, the Asian Development Bank finances development in the Asia and Pacific region with the aim of reducing poverty.  Approximately 1.8 billion people in the region are poor and unable to access essential goods, services, assets and opportunities to which every human is entitled.

What does ADB do?

With more than $17.5 billion in approved financing, 2,800 employees from 59 countries, ADB in partnership with member governments, independent specialists and other financial institutions is focused on delivering projects that create economic and development impact.
 
ADB helps developing member countries tackle poverty by providing loans, technical assistance and grants for a broad range of development activities. Guiding ADB’s work is Strategy 2020, our long-term strategic framework.

ADB focuses on five core areas of operations: infrastructure; the environment, including climate change; regional cooperation and integration; finance sector development; and education. Find out more about our operations. 

Between 2007 and 2010, ADB, through the Asian Development Fund has:

  • built 34,800 schools
  • trained 253,00 teachers
  • built or upgraded 29,400 kms of national highways and roads
  • provided 1.6 million new households with water connections
  • connected over 1.19 million new households with electricity
  • enabled over 1.8 million microfinance accounts to be opened or end borrowers reached

Who owns the bank?

ADB has 67 shareholding members including 48 from the Asia-Pacific region. View a complete list of our members and their joining dates.

Membership in the bank is open to:

How does ADB differ from commercial banks?

ADB is a multilateral development finance institution that engages in mostly public sector lending for development purposes. Our clients are our member governments, who are also our shareholders.

We also provide direct assistance to private enterprises of developing member countries through equity investments and loans.

Where does ADB get its funding?

ADB raises funds through bond issues on the world's capital markets. We also rely on our members' contributions, retained earnings from our lending operations, and the repayment of loans.

We also provide loans and grants from a number of Special Funds. The largest is the Asian Development Fund, which offers grants and loans at very low interest rates.

Thanks to our fifth general capital increase in 2009, ADB’s capital has tripled from $55 billion to $165 billion, providing us with more resources to fight for an Asia and Pacific region free from poverty.

Download the Financing Operations chapter of the ADB Annual Report 2010.

How much assistance does ADB provide to support development activities in the Asia-Pacific region?

In 2010, ADB's total assistance totaled $17.51 billion.

  • Loans worth $11.46 billion were approved for 118 projects.
  • Grants of $981.7 million financed 40 projects.
  • An estimated $982.3 million for 5 guarantees and $175 million for 8 equity investments were approved.
  • Technical assistance, which is used to prepare and implement projects and support advisory and regional activities, amounted to $175.5 million for 243 projects.

In addition, the Trade Finance Program supported almost $2.8 billion in trade by providing guarantees and loans through banks.

How is ADB governed?

ADB's highest policy-making body is the Board of Governors, which meets annually and comprises one representative from each member nation – 48 from the Asia-Pacific and 19 from outside the region. View the list of members.

The Governors elect 12 members of the Board of Directors. The ADB President, assisted by four Vice Presidents and a Managing Director General, manages the business of ADB.

Does ADB share information about its operations with the public?

Yes. ADB values transparency and is committed to increased disclosure of information under the public communications policy (PCP). An essential part of our institutional governance, the PCP promotes proactive external relations and recognizes the right of people to seek, access, and impart information about our operations.

The review of the 2005 policy in 2010 has shown that overall our public communications policy remains relevant and that ADB compares well against other multilateral development banks in terms of information disclosure good practices.

How does ADB ensure that the voice of the poor is heard at all levels of decision making?

ADB consults people from all sections of society to ensure that our projects, programs, and strategies meet people's needs. The country partnership strategy - the main planning document at the country level - emphasizes consultation with the government, the private sector, civil society, and all project stakeholders.

What is ADB doing to fight corruption?

Our Anticorruption Policy requires all staff and parties carrying out activities financed by ADB (e.g., bidders, consulting firms, consultants, contractors, and suppliers) to adhere to the highest financial and ethical standards. The Office of Anticorruption and Integrity (OAI) conducts investigations and audits related to project procurement, and raises awareness on anticorruption issues.

Contact OAI to report concerns or evidence that corruption, fraud, coercion, collusion, abuse, conflict of interest, or obstructive practice may have occurred or is occurring related to any ADB-financed activity.

Where is ADB located?

Our headquarters is in Manila, Philippines. We have offices in 26 countries across the Asia and Pacific region, as well as representative offices in Washington, DC, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Sydney.