Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is a regional development bank established in 1966 to promote economic and social development in Asian and Pacific countries through loans and technical assistance.It is a multilateral development financial institution owned by 66 members, 47 from the region and 19 from other parts of the globe. ADB's vision is a region free of poverty. Its mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their citizens.

The work of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is aimed at improving the welfare of the people in Asia and the Pacific, particularly the 1.9 billion who live on less than $2 a day. Despite many success stories, Asia and the Pacific remains home to two thirds of the world's poor.

The bank was founded as a regionally focused clone of the IBRD (World Bank), with the primary impetus coming from the US, Japan and Western European (especially Nordic and Germanic) governments. The bank has traditionally funded its lending activities by issuing supranational-rated bonds in the euromarkets. For many years the bank was the only Asia-ex Japan issuer of eurobonds. Although recent economic growth in many member countries have led to a change in emphasis to some degree, throughout most of its history the bank has operated on a project basis, specifically in the areas of infrastructure investment, agricultural development and loans to basic industries in member countries. Although by definition the bank is a lender to governments and government entities, it has also participated as a liquidity enhancer and best practice enabler in the private sectors of regional member countries. The primary human capital asset of the bank is its staff of professionals, encompassing academic and/or practical experts in the areas of agriculture, civil engineering, economics, public policy and finance. These professionals are drawn from all across the globe and given various incentives to relocate to Manila, including diplomatic status and tax-free incomes. It is conceivable that once all of Asia-Pacific reaches a certain level of living standard the bank will be wound down or reconfigured to operate as a commercial enterprise.