ADB Pledges to Deepen Cooperation with BIMSTEC

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has reaffirmed its commitment to enhancing cooperation with BIMSTEC and exploring new opportunities for collaboration, highlighting the Bank’s strong focus on partnerships with regional organisations such as BIMSTEC.

This assurance was given during a meeting between BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey and ADB President Masato Kanda, along with other senior ADB officials, during Pandey’s visit to Manila on 6th and 7th November. According to a press release from BIMSTEC, the discussions reviewed existing cooperation and explored ways to expand collaboration in the future.

Secretary General Pandey expressed appreciation for ADB’s long-standing support in developing key regional frameworks. These include the BIMSTEC Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, the Grid Interconnection Master Plan, and the BIMSTEC Transport Infrastructure and Logistics Study, alongside various capacity-building programmes.

In response, ADB President Kanda expressed satisfaction with the progress made through the partnership and reiterated the Bank’s commitment to working closely with BIMSTEC. He emphasised their shared goals of fostering sustainable development, resilience, and prosperity across the Bay of Bengal region.

During separate meetings with ADB Vice Presidents Yingming Yang (South, Central, and West Asia) and Fatima Yasmin (Sectors and Themes), both sides agreed to further strengthen cooperation in key areas of mutual interest. They also highlighted the increasing alignment between BIMSTEC’s development agenda and ADB’s regional strategy.

Pandey also called for an expansion of technical assistance grants and urged consideration of project-based collaboration to deepen engagement between the two organisations. He stressed the importance of continued cooperation between BIMSTEC and ADB in driving inclusive growth and regional integration.

While in Manila, Secretary General Pandey paid a courtesy call on Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro. During this meeting, he briefed her on the progress of regional cooperation under BIMSTEC. They also discussed future collaborations between BIMSTEC and ASEAN, particularly as the Philippines prepares to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026.

BIMSTEC, which brings together seven member countries from the Bay of Bengal region – Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand – aims to promote cooperation across multiple sectors, including connectivity, trade, energy, climate resilience, and human resource development.