Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its watchers (general, thematic)

The Asian Development Bank is returning to Burma/Myanmar and is preparing projects. This sub-section of OBL contains some links and documents to the Bank's policies and procedures, including enhanced transparancy, which may be useful to those concerned.
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Websites/Multiple Documents

Description: 340+ Documents back to 2001, including about 47 specifically on Myanmar... 40 translations into Burmese/Myanmar
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of entry/update: 2017-05-31
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English, Burmese (မြန်မာဘာသာ)
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Description: "ADB cooperates with civil society on three levels: on the policy level, on the country strategy level, and on the level of projects. Over two-thirds of ADB?s sovereign loans, grants, and related project preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) include elements of civil society participation. Generally ADB does not fund NGOs directly, but instead lends money to its client governments. Civil society organizations wishing to work with ADB should familiarize themselves with the country partnership strategy of the country where they are working and identify if there are contributions that the organization can make to ADB?s work. Participation on the policy level Civil society, among other key internal and external stakeholders, is actively consulted in the development and review of institution-wide ADB policies and strategies. ADB?s review and consultation process aims to identify and consider the views of CSOs and advocacy groups and to ensure that they have reasonable opportunity to be involved in formulating policy and strategy papers. Public Communication Policy (PCP) ADB seeks civil society views to improve information disclosure. One of the most significant changes to ADB operations under the PCP is providing information to facilitate greater engagement of affected people in the early stages of project planning and preparation. For example, documents are disclosed in draft form in advance of consultations..."
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-27
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: Summary and links..."ADB helps developing member countries (DMCs) strengthen their safeguard systems and develop their capacity to address environmental and social issues in development projects. Country safeguard systems refer to the laws, regulations, rules, and procedures on the policy areas of environment, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous peoples safeguards, and their implementing institutions. Since the approval of the Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) in 2009, ADB has been providing technical assistance to help strengthen the legal and institutional framework for effectively implementing safeguards..."
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-27
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Transparency and accountability are essential to achieve ADB?s vision of an Asia and the Pacific region free of poverty. They are the cornerstones of development effectiveness. ADB?s new Public Communications Policy (PCP) 2011 strengthens the previous policy by expanding the scope and type of information ADB makes publicly available. It also allows for earlier disclosure of most Board documents, and offers a more effective framework for proactively disclosing information and responding to information requests on a timely basis. The revised policy is specially designed to keep developing member countries, development partners, civil society, people affected by ADB projects, academics, media, the private sector, and other key stakeholders increasingly abreast of ADB activities and to provide added platforms for seeking their views. This will create the kind of two-way information exchange crucial to building mutual understanding and trust that forms the foundation of solid partnerships and development effectiveness..." See video
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-28
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: Not much specifically on Burma/Myanmar.
Source/publisher: NGO Forum on ADB
Date of entry/update: 2003-06-03
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: "The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is committed to a participatory and transparent consultation process for the review of its accountability mechanism (AM) policy. ADB carried out intensive and extensive consultations from mid-2010 to late 2011.The consultation process involved a wide range of stakeholders, including government officials, nongovernment organizations, project-affected people, project beneficiaries, the private sector, development partners,and the public at large. The goal of the consultations was to give all interested stakeholders the opportunity to help improve the effectiveness of the AM and thereby improve ADB?s development outcomes..."
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-28
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: "Environmental and social safeguards are a cornerstone of ADB?s support to inclusive economic growth and environmental sustainable growth. ADB?s safeguard policy aims to help developing member countries (DMCs) address environmental and social risks in development projects and minimize and mitigate, if not avoid, adverse project impacts on people and the environment. Approved by ADB?s Board of Directors in July 2009, the Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) builds upon the three previous safeguard policies on the environment, involuntary resettlement, and indigenous peoples, and brings them into a consolidated policy framework that enhances effectiveness and relevance. The SPS applies to all ADB-supported projects reviewed by ADB?s management after 20 January 2010. ADB works with borrowers to put policy principles and requirements into practice through project review and supervision, and capacity development support. The SPS also provides a platform for participation by affected people and other stakeholders in project design and implementation."
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-27
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Description: "English is the working language of ADB. Nonetheless, ADB recognizes the need to communicate more widely and effectively by expanding the extent of information made available in languages other than English used in ADB?s developing member countries. In March 2007, Management approved a translation framework. In accordance with ADB?s commitment to increase shared information under the Public Communications Policy (PCP), the framework complements ADB?s communications efforts with external stakeholders in line with its operational needs. Since the implementation of the framework, ADB has translated a wide variety of awareness-raising documents into the following developing member country languages: Armenian, Azeri, Bahasa Indonesia, Bangla, Chinese, Dari, Fijian, Filipino, French, Georgian, Hindi, Hindustani, Kazakh, Khmer, Kyrgyz, Lao, Marshallese, Mongolian, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Sinhala, Tajik,Tamil,Tetum, Thai, Tok Pisin,Tongan, Urdu, Uzbek , and Vietnamese..."
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-28
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Language: English
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Individual Documents

Description: "Myanmar State Counselor Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi met with Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Mr. Takehiko Nakao today on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders’ Summit. They discussed ADB’s continued engagement with Myanmar. Myanmar’s macroeconomic performance has been quite strong and stable in recent years, with real GDP growth at 6.5% in 2018. Mr. Nakao said: “Myanmar demonstrates strong potential for achieving sustained growth in the future, with prospects for boosting investments, as well as productivity in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors.” Mr. Nakao said he appreciated the structural reforms being implemented by the government, such as the adoption of the new Companies Law and easing business registration—both supported by ADB—as well as the reforms in the banking and insurance sectors. These steps will send positive signals to domestic and foreign investors. ADB has been supporting Myanmar since its reengagement in 2012, operating in the energy, transport, water supply and sanitation, agriculture, and education sectors. ADB’s sovereign lending in 2018 was $614 million. In addition, ADB is supporting private sector development through its nonsovereign lending in areas such as energy and communications. Ms. Suu Kyi expressed appreciation for ADB’s support. She noted that improved infrastructure not only improves access and connects regions, but also helps achieve reconciliation between different groups of people. She further noted that achieving peace and stability requires a long-term focus on sustainable development. “ADB stands ready to support Myanmar as it takes steps toward conflict resolution and reconciliation, including in Rakhine State,” Mr. Nakao said. Ms. Suu Kyi and Mr. Nakao also discussed boosting productivity in the agriculture sector to support rural development and poverty reduction; enhancing resilience to climate change; and promoting connectivity and cooperation between South Asia, Southeast Asia, and East Asia, taking advantage of Myanmar’s unique geographic position. ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region..."
Source/publisher: Asia Development Bank (ADB)
2019-06-23
Date of entry/update: 2019-07-07
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This interim country partnership strategy (CPS) for 2012-2014 presents ADB?s approach to a full resumption of operations in Myanmar. It provides the framework for reengagement activities and mandates a highly consultative process to establish the foundation for a full CPS at the end of the interim period. In response to the ongoing major reforms by the Government of Myanmar toward a democratic system and market-based economy, ADB adopted in early 2012 a phased approach to reengagement with Myanmar, involving significant preparatory analytical work and country dialogue in the first half of 2012. This interim country partnership strategy (CPS) presents ADB?s approach to a full resumption of operations in Myanmar. It provides the framework for reengagement activities and mandates a highly consultative process to establish the foundation for a full CPS at the end of the interim period......Linked Documents: Economic Analysis (Summary)... Poverty Analysis... Environment Analysis... Gender Analysis... Regional Cooperation and Integration Analysis... Sector Assessment (Summary): Energy... Sector Assessment (Summary): Transport... Sector Assessment (Summary): Agriculture and Natural Resources... Sector Assessment (Summary): Post-Primary Education... Sector Assessment (Summary): Urban Development and Water Sector... Risk Assessment and Risk Management Plan... Country and Portfolio Indicators... Country Cost-Sharing Arrangements and Eligible Expenditure Financing Parameters.
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
2012-10-05
Date of entry/update: 2016-04-19
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This interim assessment, strategy, and road map (ASR) of Myanmar?s agriculture, natural resources, and environment (ANRE) sector highlights the Government of Myanmar?s plans for addressing priority needs and identifies—in a preliminary manner—possible areas of international assistance for the sector. The ASR will be periodically revised based on new information and reflecting the evolving development partnership with Myanmar..."
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
2013-04-00
Date of entry/update: 2016-04-16
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 3.31 MB
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Description: "...Policy reform allowed rapid economic growth in the closing fiscal year and is expected to drive stronger expansion through the forecast period. Inflation will likely accelerate as well, and stresses are seen building in fiscal and external accounts. A key challenge is to develop the country?s human resources, in particular by better equipping its young people for roles in a modern economy..."
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
2015-03-00
Date of entry/update: 2015-03-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 220.27 KB
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Description: To increase ADB?s transparency and accountability, the Board has approved the revised Public Communications Policy, which will take effect on 2 April 2012. As a result of extensive stakeholder consultations, the PCP?s key changes put ADB at the forefront of best practices on transparency.
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
2012-04-02
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-28
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: Abstract: "This report, originally commissioned as a background paper by IDRC for a consultative meeting addressing conflict prevention and development practice, aims to provide a critical overview of the approaches to development being defined by donors, academic institutions, as well as NGOs and agencies charged with the delivery of effective aid and development programmes in conflict-prone and conflict-affected areas. Governmental and non-governmental actors alike increasingly recognise the need for conflict-sensitive approaches to development and humanitarian assistance and are consequently attempting to develop the theoretical underpinnings as well as the structural prerequisites for integrating conflict-sensitive perspectives into development assistance. The paper seeks to highlight the range of different approaches and to identify both their strengths and limitations. It concludes by proposing some of the important policy issues which need to be addressed if conflictsensitive development approaches are to have broader relevance and impact."
Creator/author: Cynthia Gaigals, Manuela Leonhardt
Source/publisher: Internqtional Alert, Saferworld, International Development Research Centre
2001-10-25
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "The Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) builds upon the three previous safeguard policies on the environment, involuntary resettlement and indigenous peoples, and brings them into one single policy that enhances consistency and coherence, and more comprehensively addresses environmental and social impacts and risks. The SPS aims to promote sustainability of project outcomes by protecting the environment and people from projects? potential adverse impacts by avoiding adverse impacts of projects on the environment and affected people, where possible; minimizing, mitigating, and/or compensating for adverse project impacts on the environment and affected people when avoidance is not possible; and helping borrowers/clients to strengthen their safeguard systems and develop the capacity to manage environmental and social risks"
Source/publisher: Asian Development Bank (ADB)
2009-06-00
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English (available also in 10 other lnguages - not Burmese)
Format : pdf
Size: 319.42 KB
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Description: What protections does the Bank?s new Safeguard Policy provide for communities and the environment?...Policy navigation tool... Executive summary... 1. Introduction... 2. Overview of the new Policy: 2.1 General Policy requirements; 2.2 Environment safeguard requirements; 2.3 Involuntary resettlement safeguard requirements; 2.4 Indigenous Peoples safeguard requirements; 2.5 Special requirements for different finance modalities; 2.6 Country safeguard systems; 2.7 Prohibited investments; 2.8 Operations Manual... 3. Summary assessment of the new Policy: 3.1 Overview; 3.2 Environment; 3.3 Involuntary resettlement; 3.4 Indigenous Peoples; 3.5 Financing modalities; 3.6 Operations Manual... 4. Implications for civil society organisations: 4.1 Resistance to arbitrary interpretation; 4.2 Particular attention to different types of investment/financing modality; 4.3 Particular attention to application of country safeguard systems; 4.4 Monitoring of safeguards implementation in the ADB?s response to the financial crisis; 4.5 Documenting poor policy implementation; 4.6 Utilisation of Accountability Mechanism... 5. Conclusion... Endnotes... Appendix 1: Overview of policy review process
Creator/author: Jessica Rosien
Source/publisher: Oxfam Australia
2010-00-00
Date of entry/update: 2012-11-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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