India has urged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) not to overlook its focus on reduction of remaining poverty while promoting sustainable growth for the member nations in the Asia Pacific region. Making intervention at the Board of Governors Business Session at the 57th Annual Meeting of ADB, India's Temporary Alternate Governor Vikas Sheel said the bank has played a critical role in facilitating measures of faster economic development, reducing poverty and promoting regional cooperation while effectively addressing the challenges and delivery of global public goods. He said ‘We note with concern that economic growth and dealing with the remaining poverty do not find a place in the enhanced focus areas of the ADB in the review of its Strategy 2030. We urge ADB not to overlook the ADB's charter mandate on growth and shared prosperity’.
He assured India's continued support to work towards accelerated inclusive and sustainable growth in Asia and the Pacific. Observing that ADB is expected to grow bigger, better and bolder in line with the New Delhi declaration of the G20, Sheel said it can thus play a much bigger role in addressing the ambitious climate agenda. He said ‘Based on the detailed recommendations made by the Independent Expert Group, appointed under India's G20 presidency, we are happy to note that ADB is proactively implementing recommendations of IEG to live up to the aspirations of being the trusted development partner of the fast-growing economies of Asia and of transforming itself into a climate bank’.
He added ADB shall have to not only continue to pursue these reform measures but would also have to assist members in catalyzing significant private sector investments, especially for climate finance in addition to concessional financing, coupled with technology transfer in line with the global challenges funding mechanism recommended by the G 20. In line with the commitment to support the smaller economies in the region, he said, India has increased its contribution to the Asian Development Fund (ADF) 14 through $58.17 million.