ASIATODAY.ID, MANILA — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is sending a clear message to global markets: Asia and the Pacific are wide open for European business.
Marking the 30th anniversary of its European Representative Office, ADB used the occasion not merely to celebrate a long-standing partnership, but to spotlight expanding private sector opportunities across fast-growing Asian economies.
ADB President Masato Kanda said Europe’s decades-long engagement with ADB has evolved beyond development assistance into a strategic economic partnership with mutual gains.
“Europe has partnered with ADB for decades, providing more than $30 billion in financing alongside innovation and expertise,” Kanda said on Tuesday, February 4, 2026.
“This prosperity flows both ways—ADB is now a gateway for European companies to access Asia’s dynamic and rapidly expanding markets.”
Since ADB’s founding in 1966, European members have contributed over $18 billion in project cofinancing and nearly $2 billion in trust fund resources.
Europe also accounts for more than 28% of total funding for the Asian Development Fund, ADB’s primary source of grants for the region’s poorest and most vulnerable communities.
European companies are not just financiers—they are major implementers. Firms from Europe have secured more than $15 billion in ADB-financed contracts, spanning critical sectors such as energy, transport, water, and agriculture.
ADB signaled that this figure is set to grow. The bank highlighted its robust project pipeline and announced a series of business opportunity roadshows across Europe in 2026, aimed at connecting European firms with upcoming ADB-backed projects throughout Asia and the Pacific.
The anniversary event brought together senior policymakers and diplomats, including ADB Governors Pasi Hellman of Finland and Johann Saathoff of Germany, alongside ambassadors, ADB Board members, and international development partners.
ADB, a leading multilateral development bank owned by 69 members—50 from the region—continues to position itself as a key mobilizer of global capital for inclusive growth, climate action, and sustainable infrastructure across Asia and the Pacific. (AT Network)
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