UNB, Yokohama (Japan) :
Bangladesh has become the champion performer in terms of enjoying the best disbursement ratio from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2016 witnessing the highest 23.4 percent ratio totaling $823 million.
“Bangladesh had the highest disbursement ratio of the top five (23.4 percent) with disbursements of $823 million. This was due to a concerted effort by the staff of ADB’s South Asia Department, including the Bangladesh Resident Mission, to pursue potential disbursements and advance actions, realise additional disbursements from 2016 contract awards through timely mobilisation of advances, and execute loan savings effectively,” said an ADB latest report.
The Manila-based lending agency released the performance review report during the ongoing 50th Annual Meeting of the Board of the Governors of ADB (May 4-7, 2017) being held at the Pacifico Yokohama Conference Center.
The report titled ‘2016 Development Effectiveness Review (DEfR’) said Bangladesh, China, India, Pakistan and Vietnam accounted for 66 percent of all sovereign project and RBL disbursements in 2016.
“Of these top five countries by volume, India accounted for a record $1.38 billion, with a disbursement ratio of 18.2 percent. It was followed by China ($1.31 billion and a disbursement ratio of 19.7 percent) and Pakistan ($838 million, 19.6 percent),” it said.
The report said Vietnam had the lowest ratio of the five (13.8%) with disbursement of $707 million, partly because of government limits on disbursements from projects funded by official development assistance.
Talking to reporters about the report findings, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, now attending the ADB meeting, on Friday said Bangladesh has been a ‘star performer’ in terms of utilising the fund from the ADB and also from the World Bank. “Our utilisation capacity has definitely improved, but we aren’t
satisfied yet as there’re still so much fund in the pipeline and the pipeline is very big,” he said.
He also said Bangladesh is capable enough and there is no question about that. “Whatever we want, we can absorb also that,” he added.
The ADB performance review report showed that the overall improvement in the sovereign project and RBL disbursement performance during 2016 was achieved through concentrated efforts by regional departments.
“Close monitoring of project implementation progress, strong collaboration between project team leaders and executing and implementing agencies in promptly resolving implementation issues related to procurement and safeguards, and focus on strengthening the capacity of executing agencies were all contributing factors,” it said.
The ADB performance review report said the ADB is delivering on its goal to increase development finance to the Asia-Pacific region, achieving most of its development and operational targets in the four-year period, 2013-16.
“ADB is delivering on its commitment to helping the Asia and Pacific region reduce poverty and achieve more inclusive and sustainable growth,” said Indu Bhushan, Director General of ADB’s Strategy and Policy Department. “ADB will continue streamlining its operations so that it can deliver development solutions more quickly and effectively, while continuing to scale up finance for the region.”
The 2016 DEfR, ADB’s tenth annual corporate performance assessment, shows that ADB met or surpassed 62 percent of the targets for development results and operational and organisational effectiveness. The report is the fourth and final report under the 2013-16 results framework.
Bangladesh has become the champion performer in terms of enjoying the best disbursement ratio from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 2016 witnessing the highest 23.4 percent ratio totaling $823 million.
“Bangladesh had the highest disbursement ratio of the top five (23.4 percent) with disbursements of $823 million. This was due to a concerted effort by the staff of ADB’s South Asia Department, including the Bangladesh Resident Mission, to pursue potential disbursements and advance actions, realise additional disbursements from 2016 contract awards through timely mobilisation of advances, and execute loan savings effectively,” said an ADB latest report.
The Manila-based lending agency released the performance review report during the ongoing 50th Annual Meeting of the Board of the Governors of ADB (May 4-7, 2017) being held at the Pacifico Yokohama Conference Center.
The report titled ‘2016 Development Effectiveness Review (DEfR’) said Bangladesh, China, India, Pakistan and Vietnam accounted for 66 percent of all sovereign project and RBL disbursements in 2016.
“Of these top five countries by volume, India accounted for a record $1.38 billion, with a disbursement ratio of 18.2 percent. It was followed by China ($1.31 billion and a disbursement ratio of 19.7 percent) and Pakistan ($838 million, 19.6 percent),” it said.
The report said Vietnam had the lowest ratio of the five (13.8%) with disbursement of $707 million, partly because of government limits on disbursements from projects funded by official development assistance.
Talking to reporters about the report findings, Finance Minister AMA Muhith, now attending the ADB meeting, on Friday said Bangladesh has been a ‘star performer’ in terms of utilising the fund from the ADB and also from the World Bank. “Our utilisation capacity has definitely improved, but we aren’t
satisfied yet as there’re still so much fund in the pipeline and the pipeline is very big,” he said.
He also said Bangladesh is capable enough and there is no question about that. “Whatever we want, we can absorb also that,” he added.
The ADB performance review report showed that the overall improvement in the sovereign project and RBL disbursement performance during 2016 was achieved through concentrated efforts by regional departments.
“Close monitoring of project implementation progress, strong collaboration between project team leaders and executing and implementing agencies in promptly resolving implementation issues related to procurement and safeguards, and focus on strengthening the capacity of executing agencies were all contributing factors,” it said.
The ADB performance review report said the ADB is delivering on its goal to increase development finance to the Asia-Pacific region, achieving most of its development and operational targets in the four-year period, 2013-16.
“ADB is delivering on its commitment to helping the Asia and Pacific region reduce poverty and achieve more inclusive and sustainable growth,” said Indu Bhushan, Director General of ADB’s Strategy and Policy Department. “ADB will continue streamlining its operations so that it can deliver development solutions more quickly and effectively, while continuing to scale up finance for the region.”
The 2016 DEfR, ADB’s tenth annual corporate performance assessment, shows that ADB met or surpassed 62 percent of the targets for development results and operational and organisational effectiveness. The report is the fourth and final report under the 2013-16 results framework.
