Construction of the Nam Ngum hydropower plant started in 1968. Harnessing the power of the country’s largest watershed, the first hydropower plant in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic was producing 30 megawatts of electricity within four years. Today it sits at the base of a still growing hydropower cascade comprising four active power plants that […]
Asia’s economic growth over the last decade has been relentless, bringing with it a rising population and an influx of people from the countryside to the cities in search of prosperity. These trends are not expected to abate. By 2025 the total population of the Asia Pacific region should reach about 4.4 billion. And over […]
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $123.3 million loan for a new water tunnel to help modernise Manila’s water supply, reducing the risk of shortages as demand for water rises in tandem with the city’s booming population. According to Paul van Klaveren, senior urban development specialist with ADB’s Southeast Asia Department: “The Angat […]
The Asian Development Bank’s (ADBs) operations – comprising loan approvals and grants, technical assistance, and cofinancing – reached an all-time high of US$ 27.15 billion in 2015, an increase of about 19 per cent over the $22.89 billion in 2014, according to provisional figures released today. The ADBs approvals of loans and grants, sovereign (government) and […]
Economic losses from the impacts of climate change in Southeast Asia could be 60 per cent higher than previously estimated, reducing the region’s gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 11 per cent by 2100, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) study. The analysis is an update to a 2009 ADB report that […]
The Philippines will see a mild pullback in 2015 GDP growth before the economy bounces back in 2016 on a pickup in government spending and a likely bounce back in exports, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report. In an update to its flagship annual economic publication, Asian Development Outlook 2015, ADB projects 2015 Philippines […]
Emerging East Asia bond markets came under pressure in the past quarter amidst concerns over softer growth, depreciating currencies, and US interest rates, according to the Asian Development Bank’s (ADBs) Asia Bond Monitor – September 2015. “Asia bond markets were buffeted by strong headwinds, including anticipation of the US Federal Reserve rate hike, which has […]
Opening statement by ADB vice-president Stephen Groff at the 20th Ministerial Conference of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program held 9-10 September 2015 in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
I am very pleased to join you at this 20th Ministerial Conference of the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Program (GMS-ECP). I would like to thank our host, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, for their impressive work in organizing this conference, for the hospitality extended to all of the participants. I would also […]
