The large-scale failures of development banks in the 1970s and 1980s meant that they all but disappeared from the development agenda. However, there are still a large number of development banks worldwide that operate with various degrees of success. Some governments are also looking to...

In a report presented at the UN Conference on Financing for Development in March 2002, the World Bank claims that the effectiveness of its financial aid has improved substantially by targeting aid at poor developing countries pursuing sound economic policies. This paper argues that the World...

Bhutan, in 2040, will be very different from what it is today. The transport system then needs to respond to the changing needs and demands. The Transport Integrated Strategic Vision 2040 incorporates all existing transport related plans, policies, initiatives, and actions to create a long-term...

This publication explores the potential costs for coastal adaptation from 2010 until 2050 in East Asia due to climate-induced sea-level rise and possibly more intense tropical cyclones. The results are estimates of possible adaptation needs, which illustrate the possible magnitude of adapting to...

This project study was initiated by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as part of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Transport and Trade Facilitation Strategy. Its objective is to identify areas for improvement in the administration and application of sanitary and phytosanitary...

The Anti-Monopoly Law, in effect since August 2008, seeks to encourage competition, maintain market order, and facilitates the allocation of resources through open markets in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Studies on the impact of this law on the PRC’s financial industry have been...

This policy brief aims to inform policy makers in the Government of Viet Nam and development partners involved in developing the water and irrigation subsector about the irrigation service fee waiver and related issues. This is intended to stimulate debate and plan for rational solutions to...

The Asian Development Outlook (ADO) provides growth and inflation forecasts for more than 40 economies in the region. This paper assesses the accuracy of those forecasts against actual outcomes for the years from 2008 to 2011. The World Economic Outlook (WEO) forecasts by the International...

This report reviews Kazakhstan’s progress towards gender equality and women’s empowerment, and focuses particularly on gender issues in the Asian Development Bank’s operations in transport, urban development, and support for entrepreneurship. Since the previous assessment in 2006,...