SECO Cooperation│The Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank (AsDB) was set up to support the poorer countries of the Asia and Pacific region in their efforts to reduce poverty and improve living conditions.

Switzerland is an active member in the governing bodies of the AsDB and carries out development projects together with the Bank.

Ambassador Dominique Paravicini (SECO), Swiss Governor to the Asian Development Bank (AsDB), met with AsDB President Masatsugu Asakawa during the Asian Development Bank (AsDB) Annual Meeting held in Manila, Philippines in September 2022.

Role and activities of the AsDB

The AsDB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. It assists its members and partners by providing loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments to promote social and economic development.

In 2018, the AsDB approved a new long-term corporate strategy, Strategy 2030, which sets out the institution’s broad vision and strategic response to the evolving needs of Asia and the Pacific.

AsDB’s support focuses on seven operational priorities:

Addressing remaining poverty and reducing inequalities;
Accelerating progress in gender equality;
Tackling climate change, building climate and disaster resilience, and enhancing environmental sustainability;
Making cities more livable;
Promoting rural development and food security;
Strengthening governance and institutional capacity; and
Fostering regional cooperation and integration.

With the Asian Development Fund (AsDF), the AsDB has a separate window that offers the poorest developing countries non-repayable grants. AsDF resources come mainly from contributions of AsDB's member countries, which are mobilized under periodic replenishments.

The AsDB at a glance

Established: 1966 (AsDF 1973)
Headquarters: Manila, Philippines
President: Masatsugu Asakawa (Japan)
Member countries: 68 (49 regional, 19 non-regional), divided into 12 constituencies
Borrowing countries: 40
Capital: US$ 165 billion
Annual lending: approx. US$ 20 billion
Swiss membership: 1967 (AsDF 1973)
Swiss representation: member of a constituency comprising six countries, with one seat on the Board of Directors

Urban planning in times of climate change

Many countries in the Asia-Pacific region are seriously affected by the consequences of climate change and natural catastrophes. The consistent inclusion of climate change in the AsDB’s activities is key to fostering an ecologically sustainable growth agenda. Switzerland thus supports the AsDB’s «Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund» (UCCRTF), which seeks to integrate environmental measures and disaster prevention into urban planning and thereby increase cities’ resilience to the impacts of climate change.

When environmental measures are incorporated into urban planning, cities are better equipped to deal with the consequences of climate change.

Switzerland and the AsDB

Switzerland has been a member of the AsDB since 1967 and has supported the AsDF since its creation in 1973. The mandate of the AsDB corresponds to Switzerland’s objectives: both are committed to reducing poverty and preventing disasters as well as promoting environmentally and socially sustainable development.

Switzerland shares a constituency with Belgium, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, jointly holding one seat on the Board of Directors.

Swiss objectives for cooperation with the AsDB

Apart from its institutional engagement among the Board of Directors, Switzerland cooperates operationally with the AsDB. Switzerland’s medium-term objectives are as follows:

strengthening the quality and sustainability of AsDB’s operations;
increasing AsDB’s capacity to support renewable energy and energy efficiency, disaster risk management and climate resilient urban development; and
promoting conflict-sensitivity in AsDB’s operations and policies.