The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will hold its 54th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors in a virtual format from 3 to 5 May 2021, with a focus on deepening collaboration for a resilient and green recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“The pandemic has had a significant impact in peoples’ lives throughout the world and in our region. We have worked closely with our developing members to support their response to COVID-19. As the focus shifts to the complex task of shaping the region’s recovery, the Annual Meeting provides an excellent opportunity to develop approaches to balancing response efforts, including vaccine access, and support for a green, resilient, and inclusive recovery,” said ADB Secretary Muhammad Ehsan Khan. “Working together, in a spirit of collaboration and cooperation, we will be able to surmount the challenges ahead.”
Annual Meeting seminars featuring government, industry, academic, and other leaders will explore a range of topics including shaping Asia’s economic reset; regional cooperation for a resilient future; the road to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26); venture capital and recovery; a woman-focused recovery for a more inclusive future; and the launch of the Asia Pacific Tax Hub, among others. The agenda also feature a set of sessions with civil society organizations.
Finance ministers and central bank governors of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their counterparts from the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic of Korea are expected to meet virtually on sidelines of the meeting.
Annual Meeting registration will open on 5 April. Program details and updates are available here.
ADB’s Annual Meetings are attended by ADB Governors, who are mostly finance ministers, central bankers, and other high-ranking ministers of ADB members, as well as participants from the international development community, private sector, civil society, academia, media, and other stakeholders.