ADB’s 42nd Annual Meeting

Asian Development Bank [ADB] and Export-Import Bank of China [China Eximbank] agreed on funding USD 3 billion which was accessible for the need of projects in developing states. This fund would be used in 3 years, starting from June 2009. The agreement had been signed by Vice President, Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development ADB Ursula Schaefer Preuss, and Vice President of China Eximbank Li Jun.

This agreement was built upon the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both sides on March 2006, with the objective of easing Governments or the private sector in accessing funds, especially for infra-structure projects. ADB estimated Asia would need USD 4.7 trillion between 2006-2015, if this region were to build its potentials. “The condition of sanitation and transportation are presently very inadequate in many Asian states. A huge sum of fund was needed to over come such if we were to eradicate poverty in the region”, stated Schaefer Preuss, Tuesday [5/5].

By agreement with China Exim bank it was confirmed that funds were to be systematically pipelined to projects which need financing, whereby to consolidate this Asian region to face global economic slowdown. ADB and China Exim bank would conduct annual meetings to harmonize procedures of fund liquidating.

The Board of Governors of ADB had agreed to strengthen ADB’ paid up capital by threefold from USD 55 billion to become USD 165 billion. This would serve as a base for increasing lending target for member states.

ADB had approved loan for Indonesia amounting to USD 2 billion, which would be used for building of infra-structures, social safety net, anti-fiscal stimulus.

Paid up Capital
The Indonesian Government would began to pay up basic capital for ADB next year which would be done by stages over five years. Anggito Abimanyu, Head of Fiscal Policy of the Department of Finance, stated that the fund agreed to be paid as Indonesia’s contribution for ADB’s paid up capital would be taken from National Budget of 2010.

The allocation would be adjusted to the indicative limit of budget fund in National Budget 2010 to be further forwarded to the Parliament for approval.

This fund would not be included in the National Budget [APBN-P] 2009, but in National Budget 2010 instead and be included in the decided indicative limit. Indonesia was listed as 6th biggest shareholder after Japan, USA, China, India, and Australia, holding 5.43% of share and 4.65% vote.