BISHKEK (TCA) — Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Takehiko Nakao and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) President Liqun Jin signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Frankfurt, Germany on May 2 on the sidelines of ADB’s 49th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, ADB said.
The agreement sets the stage for jointly financing projects. ADB and AIIB are already discussing projects for cofinancing in the road and water sectors. The first of these projects is expected to be Pakistan’s M4 highway project, a 64-kilometer stretch of motorway connecting Shorkot to Khanewal in Punjab Province.
ADB and AIIB agreed to strengthen cooperation, including cofinancing, at the strategic and technical levels on the basis of complementarity, value added, institutional strengths and comparative advantages, and mutual benefit, the MoU states.
“I am very pleased to have this framework of collaboration with a new and strong partner in Asia,” said Mr. Nakao. “ADB has been working closely with AIIB throughout its establishment process. We will further strengthen our cooperation in promoting sustainable growth, reducing poverty, and combatting climate change in the region.”
“I am delighted to take a further step forward in our partnership with ADB,” Mr. Jin said. “AIIB looks forward to deepening our already strong relationship and expanding our collaboration as we seek to address the significant infrastructure financing needs in the Asia region.”
Through cofinancing, knowledge work, and joint policy dialogue with member countries, the two institutions will work together in the areas including energy, transportation, telecommunications, rural and agriculture development, water, urban development, and environmental protection.
The two institutions will undertake regular high-level consultations and joint data collection to promote the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the COP21 climate agreement.
ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth, and regional integration.
AIIB, located in Beijing, is a multilateral development bank that focuses on the development of infrastructure and other productive sectors in Asia, including energy and power, transportation and telecommunications, rural infrastructure and agriculture development, water supply and sanitation, environmental protection, urban development and logistics.
