ADB undergoes
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The Region
ADB undergoes a re-organisation
But its restructuring does not mean it is withdraw ing from the Pacific, assures the hank
By Patrick Decloitre
Manila-based Asian Development Bank has recently reorganised its Pacific operation by establishing a Pacific Operation Office at its head quarters in the Philippines. The aim, according to the bank, is to oversee lending and technical assistance activi ties in its 11 Pacific island members.
ADB’s South Pacific regional mission remains in the Vanuatu capital of Port Vila under the leadership of newly arrived representative Dr Muhammed Tusneem.
However, ADB’s recent reorganisa tion of its Pacific operations does not amount to a withdrawal from this
region, Dr Tusneem said last month.
He made the comment after he found there was a misconception among regional leaders that the cre ation of OPO in Manila was a sign of withdrawal. He explained the reorgani sation meant OPO would specialise in granting lending approvals.
At the same time, the Vanuatu-based South Pacific regional mission would focus on project implementation for Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Western Samoa.
Dr Muhammed said the Vanuatu mis sion he now headed had more deci
sion-making powers as far as project implementation was concerned, with the ultimate aim of improving project quality.
“Contrary to what people think, ADB is not withdrawing form the region,” he said.
ADB’s OPO and South Pacific mis sion each have a staff complement of 13.
The bank focuses on assisting coun tries on issues related to development and infrastructure and intends to main tain its annual lending levels at between US$7O - $9O million for the 11 Pacific countries in the next few years.
Stronger emphasis will now be placed on technical assistance for policy reforms, institutional strengthening and capacity building.
Meanwhile, the French government’s development fund, Caisse Francaise de Developpement, has also opened its regional office for the Pacific in Port Vila. m