NGO ForumChallengesADB's Policies at 57th Annual Meeting

At the 57th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in Tbilisi, Georgia, the NGO Forum network and its allies are voicing strong criticism of the bank's policies and projects. The groups cite detrimental impacts on communities, environments, and civic spaces in the countries where the ADB operates.

Why this matters: The ADB's policies and projects have far-reaching consequences for the environment, human rights, and civic participation in Asia and the Pacific, affecting millions of people. As a majordevelopment bank, the ADB's actions set a precedent for other institutions, making it crucial to hold them accountable for their impact.

A key concern raised by the NGO Forum is the ongoing restrictions on civil society in Georgia and several other countries where the ADB is active, including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh. The groups argue that this worrying backdrop underscores the need for greateraccountabilityand reform at the ADB.

The NGO Forum also took aim at the ADB's draft Environmental and Social Safeguarding (ESF) framework, released in October 2023. Despite two years of engagement with the bank, civil society organizations say they have not seen how their inputs were incorporated into the draft policy. The groups criticized the framework for failing to meet the highest standards and lacking transparency in its development process.

Another major issue highlighted by the NGO Forum is the ADB's continued support for coal and fossil gas projects, which the groups argue contradicts the bank's climate commitments. They called for a complete phase-out of fossil fuel support and the closure of loopholes allowing coal financing. "The ADB's role cannot be overlooked" amid tightening restrictions on NGOs in various countries, one representative noted.

The NGO Forum further criticized the ADB's disregard for human rights, labor rights, and gender considerations in its projects and policies. The groups urged the bank to adopt a human rights-based approach aligned with international frameworks to ensure its investments do not harm communities and the environment.

The Asian Development Bank, founded in 1966, is a regional development bank that aims to promote social and economic development in Asia and the Pacific through loans, technical assistance, grants, and equity investments. The bank's annual meeting brings together finance ministers, central bank governors, private sector representatives, and development partners from its 68 member countries.

As the ADB's 57th Annual Meeting concludes in Tbilisi, the NGO Forum's challenges to the bank's policies and projects underscore the growing demands for multilateral institutions to prioritize sustainability, human rights, and civic participation in their operations. The groups' critiques, ranging from the bank's fossil fuel support to its draft safeguarding framework, highlight the urgent need for the ADB to engage meaningfully with civil society and align its practices withglobal standards.

Key Takeaways

• ADB's policies and projects harm communities, environments, and civic spaces in Asia and the Pacific.
• NGO Forum criticizes ADB's restrictions on civil society in several countries.
• ADB's draft Environmental and Social Safeguarding framework lacks transparency and high standards.
• ADB continues to support coal and fossil gas projects, contradicting climate commitments.
• NGO Forum urges ADB to adopt human rights-based approach and phase out fossil fuel support.