A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

www.adbi.org
ADBI News Volume 1 Number 1 January 2007

I would like to see

ADBI Welcomes ADBI become a leading
Masahiro Kawai, New Dean institute in Asia and the
Pacific for the creation
of knowledge on
long-term structural
In January, ADBI welcomed Masahiro Kawai as its
issues for economic
next Dean. I would like to see ADBI become a development and
leading institute in Asia and the Pacific for the provide effective
creation of knowledge on long-term structural development strategies
issues for economic development and provide and capacity building.
effective development strategies and capacity Masahiro Kawai,
Dean, ADBI
building. From Tokyo, ADBI will expand a
network of partner institutions to effectively he served as Head of ADBs Office of Regional
address the development challenges faced by the Economic Integration (OREI) and concurrently
Asia-Pacific region. says Mr. Kawai, who took Special Advisor to the ADB President in charge of
over from former Dean Peter McCawley. regional economic cooperation and integration.
ADBI has embarked on the study of Prior to becoming the head of OREI in October
Infrastructure for Regional Cooperation, which is 2005, Mr. Kawai was a Professor at the University
vital for economic development and poverty of Tokyos Institute of Social Science. He also
reduction. The new focus area of specialization, worked as Deputy Vice Minister of Finance for
he adds, will be reflected in many of ADBIs International Affairs of Japans Ministry of Finance
activities in 2007 and with the publication of a from 2001 to 2003, and before that as Chief
flagship study. Mr. Kawai has worked extensively Economist for the World Banks East Asia and the
on this area; before assuming his position at ADBI, Pacific Region from 1998 to 2001.

ADB Annual Meeting:

Ageing Asia
In this issue
ADBI will hold a seminar on Ageing Asia: A New
Challenge for the Region, in conjunction with the Farewell to Peter McCawley 2
Asian Development Banks 40th Annual Meeting
of the Board of Governors to be held in Kyoto, Asian Tsunami 2
Japan from 4 to 7 May 2007. A half-day workshop ADBI Annual Conference 2006 3
on Ageing will follow at ADBI on 8 May. The LAEBA Conference in Seoul 3
panelists for the seminar will include Professor
Charles Horioka of Osaka University, Professor Recent Research 4-5
David Canning from Harvard, and Dr. Ralph Recent Capacity Building and Training 6-7
Bryant of the Brookings Institution. Other leading Calendar 8
international researchers will also gather to address
various policy issues, and Government
leadersincluding Finance Ministers and central
bank governorstogether with civil society groups
and journalists from around the world will be at
this meeting.
View details at www.adb.org/AnnualMeeting/2007/default.asp.

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 A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

Thanks and Warm Wishes

to Former ADBI Dean Peter McCawley

In January, ADBI bid farewell to Peter McCawley, developed well during Mr. McCawleys tenure as
who had served as Dean of the Institute since early Dean. These activities improve the Institutes
2003. Mr. McCawley brought with him extensive efforts across the region in sharing development
academic and government experience in Asian knowledge.
economic affairs. Before coming to ADBI he had A key challenge for the Institute, as Mr.
worked as an adviser on foreign aid and McCawley sees it, is to continue its efforts to
international economic issues to the Australian develop a solid reputation in an area of
Government and various international agencies. specialization. ADBIs current area of
Looking back on his four years at ADBI, Mr. specialization is Infrastructure for Regional
McCawley says he thinks the Institutes goals have Cooperation. By continuing to do work on this
become clearer. He feels that both internally and topic, he believes that the Institute will build up a
externally, relations with staff and stakeholders are name for work in an area that is relevant to the
well-based. Challenges remain, of course, but activities of the Asian Development Bank and
worthwhile progress has been made in both of important for the Asia-Pacific region.
these key areas. Internally, for example, After returning to the Australian National
arrangements such as our regular brown bag University in Canberra, Mr. McCawley plans to
luncheons are now a well-established feature of finish off the work he has been doing at ADBI on
ADBI activities, Mr. McCawley explains, and the Asian tsunami. Several other projects await
externally our relations with our colleagues in him, including editing several issues of the Bulletin
ADB HQ and with various partners in the Asia- of Indonesian Economic Studies and writing
Pacific region are on track. articles and books on the Indonesian economy and
ADBIs various electronic outreach activities development across the Asia-Pacific area.
the web, news, and reviewshave also

The Asian Tsunami: Lessons Learned

More than two years have passed since the effects day, many areas were able to mobilize medical aid,
of a tsunami devastated countries from India to food, and other relief supplies at the local level.
Africa on 26 December 2004. ADBI has been The experience of Sri Lanka also points to three
undertaking research into the effectiveness of the other key lessons.
post-tsunami recovery programs in several
countries in Asia. This research has been led by 1. Governments and communities must respond
Peter McCawley, former Dean of ADBI. quickly to disasters.
On the second anniversary after the tsunami hit, 2. Simple actions are often the best. Examples
an article by Mr. McCawley was printed in the Asahi include immediate cash payments.
Shimbun, a Japanese-language newspaper. The article 3. Reconstruction costs are likely to soar, so
highlighted important successes and useful lessons planners must allow for substantial increase in
from the first set of the study results on Sri Lanka. building costs.
An encouraging success in Sri Lankadespite
the lack of previous experience with such a Learning from these lessons will prepare
devastating tsunamiwas the impressive response governments and communities around the world to
of local institutions when the crisis struck. Within a better cope with future disasters.
For further information on ADBIs Sri Lanka case study, see www.adbi.org/research-policy-brief/2006/06/13/
1894.tsunami.recovery/. Additional case studies on Indonesia and Thailand will be posted soon.

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 A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

ADBI ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2006

Infrastructure for Regional Cooperation

Infrastructure investment promotes regional infrastructure, the extent to which infrastructure

integration, which in turn encourages regional promotes regional growth and cooperation, the role
cooperation, including cooperation in of transport infrastructure, and the relation of
infrastructure development. This process creates a governance and finance to infrastructure.
virtuous cycle that supports development. With this Several presenters noted that infrastructure
in mind, ADBI has chosen Infrastructure for means not only hardware like ports, roads, and
Regional Cooperation (IfRC) as its new area of telecoms, but also software such as legal and
specialization. regulatory structures. For regional cooperation, a
The Institutes annual conference in Tokyo on 8 key benefit of improved infrastructureboth hard
December 2006 focused on this initiative. Over and softis that it lowers barriers to trade by
100 participants attended the conference held at reducing trade costs such as transport charges,
ADBI. To kick off the effort in preparing the customs delays, and excess inventories.
Institutes flagship study on IfRC, the conference Four broad issues require attention for
included discussion sessions on several aspects of infrastructure to be improved in the Asia-Pacific
the topic. Sessions explored issues such as the role region. One issue is access: people across the
for development banks in building Asias region lack access to water, sanitation, energy, and
roads. Cheaper and simpler ways to provide access
to these should be explored. Another issue is
finance. Finance can be provided from the public
or private sector, or can be self-financed by utilities
from revenue flows. A third issue is the pricing of
infrastructure services such as utilities and travel:
fees must be enforced for sustainability, but these
prices must be set with respect to costs, not
international benchmarks. Finally, governance and
management issues must be addressed to make
infrastructure more productive. This will increase
the returns to investment.
The conference kicked off the effort in preparing the Institutes Read the conference report at
flagship study on Infrastructure for Regional Cooperation. www.adbi.org/event/2039.annual.conference.2006/.

LAEBA CONFERENCE IN SEOUL

Scholars Focus on Role
of Regional Infrastructure

For its third annual conference held in November

2006 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, the Latin
America Asia-Pacific Economics and Business
Association (LAEBA) brought scholars together to
explore the question of the role for regional
infrastructure in fostering regional cooperation and
integration. Sessions focused on conceptual and
policy perspectives on regional infrastructure,
financing infrastructure and trade facilitation, ADBI Senior Research Fellow Jayant Menon presented results
regional transport costs as trade costs, and case from a country case study involving infrastructure and trade.

studies of regional integration projects in Asia and Conference papers available online at www.adbi.org/event/
Latin America. 2007.3rd.laeba.conference/.

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 A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

RECENT RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS

Two-volume Corporate Governance Set Proves Popular

Although all the Asian bank supervisory agencies Key findings:

have introduced regulatory reforms to encourage Ingredients for effective boards
the development of good corporate governance
policies in banking institutions since the 1997 Results from the studys survey of bank board
financial crisis, not much is known about the members indicate that they are now more
success of these policy reforms. This study, cognizant about their roles in enhancing board
presented in two volumes, addresses the issue of effectiveness. For producing effective boards, the
corporate governance practices in the banking following ingredients were suggestedsome of
institutions of Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, them widely supported and others more
Malaysia, and Thailand from 1998 until 2003. contentious.
The first volume is about the practice of Select well-qualified board members
corporate governance of commercial banks in post- Promote boardroom culture that encourages
crisis in Asia. The 2nd volume provides theme discussions of alternative viewpoints
papers, which are revised versions of the papers Provide adequate and timely information to the
presented at the seminars Corporate Governance directors
of Banks in Asia held in Tokyo in June 2004 and Provide education programs for their
January 2005. They deal with such topics as professional development
financial safety nets, bank ownership and Have formal annual CEO evaluation by the
governance quality, market discipline of banks, board
financial incentives for bank directors, and banks Separate CEO from board chair position
risk management practices. Link compensation more to bank performance
Read or download the books for free at www.adbi.org/book/2006/09/12/1991.corporate.governance.banks.vol1/.

Mekong Region: Foreign Direct Investment

FDI in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam,

This joint study with ADB examines the trends, 19902004 (US$ millions)
patterns, and economic impacts of foreign direct
investment (FDI) in the Greater Mekong
subregions three transitional economies:
Cambodia, Lao Peoples Democratic Republic (Lao
PDR), and Viet Nam. Although FDI inflows to
these countries have not yet returned to pre-Asian
crisis levels, continued policy reforms and
improvements in the investment climate have seen
them stabilize or strengthen since 2000 (see Figure).
The study finds that FDI has played an
important role in promoting GDP growth, exports,
employment and productivity improvement in all Cambodia (left scale)
three countries. In addition to discussing short- Lao PDR (left scale)
term changes to spur growth in FDI, the study Viet Nam (right scale)

presents ways for countries to get better-quality Investors operating with their bags packed are
FDI by addressing the longer-term deficiencies in unlikely to share the firm-specific knowledge that
the investment policy and business environment. would give FDI its catalytic impact.
Without improvements to infrastructure, human Read or download the book for free at
capital, and legal, judicial, and administrative www.adbi.org/book/2006/10/23/2053.mekong.direct.
structures, investment will be largely short-term. investment/.

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 A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

RECENT RESEARCH
Building Microfinance Course valued highly by participants
Capacity using ICT Participants have evaluated the course favorably.
The most attractive point is the opportunity to
interact with speakers who are experts in the field,
Microfinance provides opportunities for poor and says one participant. This opportunity combined
low-income people, but its biggest stumbling block with online tutoring makes for rapid learning
is the shortage of personnel capable of operating progress.
sustainable institutionsnot lack of funds. Localization planned to reach rural participants
In a continuing effort to address this In 2007, the course will be offered not only in
constraint, ADBI and the World Banks Tokyo English, but also in Chinese and other local
Development Learning Center collaborated again languages. Over 80% of participants stated that if
in 2006 to offer the third blended distance the course was offered in local languages it could
learning Microfinance Training of Trainers better reach those working with the poor, explains
Course. Using CD-ROMs, distributed classrooms Sununtar Setboonsarng, course organizer.
through videoconferencing, online tutoring, and Localizing the course into Chinese is a priority
e-discussion, the course has so far trained over because the PRC has a large rural poor population
1100 participants in over 51 countries and and an underdeveloped microfinance sector. The
accredited over 120 trainers. World Bank Institute in the PRC and Consultative
Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) are enthusiastic
about this innovative course and are adding their
support to the localization plan in the PRC.
Entrepreneurial activities Improved capacity will help microfinance
supported by institutions meet the vast demand by the poor for
microfinance, like this their services. Capacity built through the course will
business of making
ornaments and
also help donors such as the Asian Development
accessories from sea Bank to implement projects more smoothly.
shells, can improve the
livelihoods of poor and View course sessions as archived webcasts at
Courtesy of Asian Development Bank low-income people. www.adbi.org/event/1840.microfinance.blended.learning/.

Organic Agriculture Addresses

Multiple Aspects of Poverty

Two-thirds of the worlds 800 million poor are

involved in agriculture and the majority of them
live in marginal areas where organic practice may
be more appropriate than high-external input
agriculture. Meanwhile, organic products are
enjoying increased global demand and premiums
of 10% to 300%, with consumers spending to
express views on concerns for food safety,
environment, and poverty.
ADBIs ongoing research aims to quantify the This mixed garden in Sri Lanka is one example of the potential
impacts of organic agriculture in the context of the of organic farming to improve biodiversity and food security.
Millennium Development Goals (MDG) to support
policy design for the sector.
Preliminary findings show that organic daughters as well as sons. Furthermore, organic
agriculture provides farmers with a high level of agriculture eliminates some common health risks
profitability due to lower input cost, a higher to poor and often illiterate farmers, who are often
sustainable yield, and premium prices. The exposed to improper use of pesticides.
increased income allows them to spend more on Read preliminary findings at www.adbi.org/
education and health, with benefits reaching discussion-paper/2006/09/07/2000.mdgs.organic.agriculture/.

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 A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

RECENT CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING

ADBIs 2006 CBT Program focused on strengthening policy development and management capacity for
development programs in the Asia-Pacific region under 4 priority themes: poverty reduction, regional
cooperation, private sector development, and governance.

Focusing on Poverty Reduction Courtesy of Asian Development Bank

Nearly two-thirds of the worlds poor are in the

Asia-Pacific region, predominately in rural areas.
Of these, almost two-thirds are women. CBT
offered a number of courses in 2006 that profiled
how development policy can take advantage of
advances in ICT to increase access to information Information and
communication
for the rural poor, improve access and quality of technology can
education for those in remote locations, and increase access to
broaden the scope for entrepreneurial initiatives for information for the
poor and improve
women. Courses explored how community access to and
information centers, e-learning policies, and quality of
e-business development can be employed to education.
support poverty reduction.
The E-Learning Policies Distance Learning complement traditional education processes,
Program is one of six courses offered by ADBI improve learning content, and support the
under this theme. Initiated in October 2006, it was management of teaching-learning processes, as
completed in mid-January 2007. Over 300 well as increasing access.
government officials and teachers, primarily from
the Asia-Pacific region, were enrolled. The Read more about the E-Learning Policies Distance Learning
program presents how computer courseware can Program at www.adbi.org/event/1940.elearning.policy.2006/.

Supporting Regional Cooperation

Regional cooperation to stimulate inclusive Asia, the progress in capital market reforms, and
growth is being pursued on a number of important the main development issues and challenges ahead.
levels in the Asia-Pacific regioncapital markets, With the participation of 57 government officials
trade, and regulation and investment in physical and financial sector experts from 13 ADB
infrastructure. Capital markets play an important developing member countries the roundtable
role in mobilizing savings to finance both discussions centered on critical policy and
production and infrastructure investment needed regulatory reforms necessary to foster greater
for regional economic development. In Asia, the capital market integration. Summary conclusions
savings ratio is much higher than that in other emphasized the need for increased corporate
regions yet only a very small percent of the total governance requirements and the convergence of
Asian cross-border portfolio is directed to other accounting standards to enable expansion and
capital markets in the region due to further development of capital markets in the
underdevelopment and inefficiencies. region, as well as ensure the integrity and
In October 2006 ADBI, in collaboration with efficiency of the markets and protection of investor
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and interests.
Development (OECD) and the Government of Read or download papers and presentations from the 8th
Japan, organized a two-day roundtable to discuss Round Table on Capital Market Reform in Asia via
the current state of financial market integration in www.adbi.org/event/1742.capital.market.reform.2006/.

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 A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

RECENT CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING

Advancing Private Sector Development Courtesy of Asian Development Bank

and Public-Private Partnerships

Industrial clusters
offer shared
Expanding private sector activities is a vital services, which
element of the strategic development approach to can enable
achieving greater economic growth and poverty enterprises like
this paper factory
reduction in Asia and the Pacific region. ADBIs near Hanoi,
CBT program focuses on capacity building Viet Nam to be
activities which enable reforms and strengthen the more competitive.
policy environment to ensure the right conditions the seminar explored how a cluster-based approach
for businesses to flourish, and promotion of public- to industrial development effectively supports
private partnerships. growth of small and medium-sized enterprises, and
In May 2006, a 5-day seminar entitled Cluster- what catalytic role governments need to take on to
Based Industrial Development was organized by ensure an enabling policy environment is in place
ADBI in collaboration with the Viet Nam Institute for their establishment. Successful experiences
for Industry Policy and Strategy, and the support of with cluster-based industry development in China
the Foundation for Advanced Studies on and India, as well as in other countries in the
International Development, Japan International region, were profiled.
Cooperation Agency (JICA), and United Nations
View presentations and other materials from the Cluster-Based
Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). Industrial Development Course at www.adbi.org/event/1641.
For the 30 government officials from Cambodia, clusterbased.industrial.development/. Followup seminar to be
Lao Peoples Democratic Republic, and Viet Nam, offered in Tokyo in March 2007.

Strengthening Public For information on governance courses offered by ADBI

Sector Governance Improving Governance of Public Sector Enterprise

Read seminar information and summary of proceedings
(to be published) at
www.adbi.org/event/1534.improving.governance.soe/
Governments are responsible for ensuring efficient Tax Conference: Tax Reform and IT
InfrastructureFind presentations and more via
use of public resources and sound management of www.adbi.org/event/2004.tax.conference.2006/
social and economic development programs. Capital Market Reform in Asia: 8th Round Table
ADBIs CBT program in 2006 has focused on View conference papers via
www.adbi.org/event/1534.improving.governance.soe/
profiling policy developments and ICT
advancements that support improved public improve SOE performance and corporate
financial management and enable greater governance. International best practices and
government accountability and transparency. lessons learned were presented and regional
In September 2006, ADBI organized a regional experiences were shared.
seminar on Improving Governance of Public ADBI in partnership with ADB, the Ministry of
Sector Enterprises. State-owned enterprises (SOEs) Finance, Japan and OECD, also hosted the 16th
have an important role in supplying essential goods Annual Tax Conference in October 2006. With the
and services to the public in many ADB participation of representatives from tax policy and
developing member countries. Difficulties administration agencies from across the Asia-
associated with trying to achieve commercial as Pacific region, the conference served as a forum to
well as social objectives, and lack of sufficient profile developments in tax policy reform that
management autonomy, have constrained the support trade liberalization and improved
ability of SOEs to perform effectively and harmonization of international tax policy and
efficiently. Government officials from over 15 administration approaches. The conference also
ADB developing member countries met in Tokyo provided an opportunity for participants to be
to evaluate the role of SOEs in the current briefed on ICT advancements that enable major
economic development environment, and to improvements in tax administration management
prioritize policy and regulatory reforms required to and efficiency.

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 A s i a n D e v e l o p m e n t B a n k I n s t i t u t e

CALENDAR
www.adbi.org/calendarofevents/

2930 January Workshop on the Role of Infrastructure in Reducing Trade Costs (Tokyo)
516 February Pilot Course on Workforce Development: Computer Courseware
Development (Kathmandu, Nepal)
1315 February Customs DG-Commissioner Meeting on Trade Facilitation (Tokyo)
28 February International Symposium on Economic and Financial Response
to Environmental Problems (Kyoto, Japan)
1420 March Industrial Development Planning by Local Governments: Cluster-Based
Development Approach Policy Seminar (Tokyo)
26 April Chief Information Officers Training Course (Tokyo)
1620 April Tax Administration Course (Chiang Mai, Thailand)
30 April31 July E-Governance 2007: A Distance Learning Course
34 May East Asia Conference on Competition Policy and Development (Hanoi, Viet Nam)
7 May Seminar on Ageing in East Asia (Kyoto, Japan)
8 May Seminar on Ageing in East Asia (Tokyo)
1418 May Private Sector Participation in Physical Infrastructure (Tokyo)
28 May1 June International Conference on Information and Communication Technology in
Basic Education (Xining, Peoples Republic of China)

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