Greetings from NARO Representative Samuel Tumiwa | |
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Welcome to the newly re-launched Asian Development Bank (ADB) North American Representative Office (NARO) newsletter! We have been busy over the last few months meeting with key US and Canadian stakeholders, including targeted events in Ottawa and on Capitol Hill.
In Washington, DC, we held thematic events at NARO attended by senior officials from the Departments of Treasury and State, as well as prominent think tanks, development partners, civil society, and academia. We convened presentations on Nature-Based Solutions and ADB's Energy Transition Mechanism. ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa participated in a high-level dialogue on addressing extreme heat, hosted by the US Department of the Treasury Secretary and ADB Governor Janet Yellen, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power, together with other heads of Multilateral Development Banks. ADB Vice-President for East and Southeast Asia and the Pacific, Scott Morris, discussed the ADB evolution process at a meeting hosted by the Center for Global Development (CGD). On Capitol Hill, NARO held an event to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, attended by over two hundred Congressional staff.
In Ottawa, Director for Environment, Yoko Watanabe, spoke to Global Affairs Canada (GAC) about the importance of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) programming at ADB, linking it to priorities under Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. We discussed the importance of crowding in the private sector, and the need to promote inclusive approaches to NBS. NBS is also a key focus of the new Canadian Climate and Nature Fund for Private Sector in Asia (CANPA), where we want to extend our appreciation to Canada for their renewed partnership and commitment of $360 million (CAD). This Fund will support private-sector projects in Asia and the Pacific focused on climate and NBS, while accelerating gender equity. We look forward to an official forthcoming launch of CANPA.
I also had the opportunity to attend the ADB’s Annual Meeting in beautiful Tbilisi, Georgia, where valued support from partners such as the US and Canada helped contribute to the $5 billion replenishment to the Asian Development Fund, supporting the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific.
NARO Deputy Representative Alain Borghijs represented ADB at a joint G20 - Finance in Common event held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he shared ADB’s progress in developing concessional and innovative financial solutions for biodiversity and resilience, and in promoting blended finance and private capital mobilization for resilient infrastructure.
NARO also added three new staff members this quarter, welcoming Natasha Mooney as Senior External Relations Officer, Glessie Chavez as Administration and Communications Coordinator, and Megan Williams as Research and Administrative Assistant, to the team. Natasha joins us from Canada’s Foreign Ministry. Glessie was previously with ADB in Manila under the Budget, People, and Management Systems Department. Megan is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland. We are happy to have them join NARO.
Looking ahead to the next few months, we will have the opportunity to welcome President Asakawa and senior ADB officials for the IMF/WB Annual Meetings. We will also engage with partners during the United Nations General Assembly, and I will participate as a panelist during Climate Week.
I look forward to more engagement opportunities in the Fall!
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President Asakawa participated in a virtual High-Level Dialogue on Financing for Climate Resilience hosted by the US Department of the Treasury Secretary, and ADB Governor Janet Yellen and USAID Administrator Samantha Power. The discussion which took place on 27 June was also joined by heads of other multilateral development banks, and focused on addressing extreme heat, one of the most fatal climate impacts. Despite 2023 being the hottest year on record, global financing for extreme heat mitigation remains low. The dialogue aimed to identify opportunities for concrete collaboration, expand partnerships, and scale up investments. President Asakawa emphasized ADB's leadership in climate adaptation, highlighting efforts to save lives and reduce costs associated with extreme heat events. | |
VP Scott Morris was featured at a roundtable hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies on 25 July in Washington, DC. In his opening remarks, the VP discussed ADB's work in the Pacific and how it is approaching its goals to improve infrastructure, build human institutional capacity, and increase the resilience of communities in the region. The subsequent discussion focused on the broad range of economic challenges and opportunities facing the Pacific Island countries, including the complexity of accessing various sources of development finance, the need to scale up infrastructure investment, and procurement in the Pacific region. Participants included senior members from US government agencies, embassies, academia, and think tanks. | | | | |
VP Morris participated in two sessions focusing on ‘Extreme Heat and Gender’, and ‘Climate Adaptation and the Cost of Inaction’ hosted by the Atlantic Council on 31 July in Washington, DC. In his first presentation, he discussed ADB’s support toward strengthening women’s resilience to heat stress in Asia and the Pacific, including the importance of ADB’s heat resilience initiative aimed at identifying gender-responsive adaptation solutions to extreme heat. The VP reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to adaptation and resilience during his second presentation, including aligning ADB operations with the Paris Agreement’s adaptation goal, and the need to scale up concessional finance to support adaptation. Both events were attended by senior officials from the US Department of the Treasury, USAID, and other prominent international development nongovernment organizations. | |
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ADB was invited to participate at the Congressional Asian Pacific American Staff Association Embassy Night on Capitol Hill on 25 July, featuring a dozen embassies in the region and included over three hundred participants.
The event was co-hosted by the Congressional South Asian American Staff Association, where NARO staff shared the history of ADB as a long-standing partner in the region, and the importance of its programs to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific.
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ADB’s Energy Transition Mechanism (ETM) and the Just Energy Transition Partnership and its key role in advancing Paris Agreement targets, was discussed in a presentation at NARO. ETM and Partnerships Advisor Andrew Jeffries, discussed ADB’s role in helping to accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. The presentation on 16 May highlighted that coal-fired power plants constitute the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions from human activity, noting the ETM’s key role in reducing the carbon footprint. As part of his presentation, Andrew convened conversations with senior officials from Washington DC-based government and development organizations, including from the US Department of the Treasury, the World Bank, the US International Development Finance Corporation, and the National Bureau of Asian Research. |
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ADB’s climate adaptation efforts and strategies were discussed in a presentation on 13 June. Principal Climate Change Specialist Arghya Sinha Roy discussed ADB’s role in pushing the limits to adaptation strategies to enable transformation. Arghya highlighted the need to scale-up investments in adaptation to go beyond incremental actions, noting the window of opportunity to adapt is closing rapidly. Following his presentation, Arghya convened conversations with senior officials from Washington DC-based government and development organizations. NARO Representative Samuel delivered opening remarks. | |
The importance of ADB’s Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and frameworks were highlighted in a mission to Global Affairs Canada (GAC), in Ottawa on 11 July. Environment Director Yoko Watanabe delivered a presentation to the team leading Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. She discussed the importance of crowding in the private sector, and the need to promote inclusive approaches to NBS including a focus on gender equality and indigenous peoples. Yoko stressed the importance of Nature-Based programs as integral to achieving climate adaptation and mitigation goals, further positioning ADB as Asia’s Climate Bank. GAC Director General for Indo-Pacific Planning and Operations Amanda Strohan delivered opening remarks. During her mission, Yoko also met with other Senior GAC officials. NARO Representative Samuel accompanied Yoko during the mission. | |
In a keynote address at a roundtable organized by Asia Society Policy Institute on Asia’s climate finance needs and priorities for multilateral reforms, Office of the President’s Special Senior Advisor Warren Evans highlighted the urgency of taking action to address the climate crisis in Asia and the Pacific. He noted the need for rapid and transformative action in climate adaption and highlighted the importance of NBS. Warren also elaborated on ADB’s leading role as the climate bank in the region. NARO Deputy Representative Alain also participated in the roundtable. | |
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NARO celebrated the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, with an event on Capitol Hill on 23 May. Entitled “A Taste of the Philippines” in recognition of ADB’s headquarters and long history in the country, the event featured local Filipino food and was attended by upwards of 200 congressional staff. US Representative for California's 14th congressional district Eric Swalwell provided introductory remarks. NARO Representative Samuel discussed the importance of ADB, and noted the Bank’s history and strong relationship with the US. |
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Findings from ADB’s Development Policy Report, Aging well in Asia, were presented to leading Washington DC-based MDBs and think tanks on 6 May. Economic Research and Development Impact Department's, Dr. Donghyun Park, held seminars with the CGD, Inter-American Development Bank, International Monetary Fund, Peterson Institute for International Economics, Wilson Center, and the World Bank. He convened conversations with development experts and presented key report findings on the well-being of aging populations in Asia including the four pivotal dimensions of well-being – health, employment, economic stability, and social involvement.
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Prior to joining ADB, Natasha worked at Canada’s Foreign Ministry as a Senior Policy Analyst leading International Development Policies and Strategies.
While at Global Affairs Canada, she led the development of Canada’s Feminist Civil Society Partnerships Policy, adopting a gender-based approach to partnerships with the civil society sector. She also developed international assistance components of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, including leading a targeted Infrastructure investment of $750M to support sustainable and green infrastructure in the region. Natasha also served as Canada’s institutional lead for key multilateral institutions, including both ADB and the Global Fund.
An experienced researcher, Natasha holds a master of research in political science and development and is a PhD candidate in the field of policy and evaluation. She is fluent in four languages, where her work and studies have allowed her to partake in projects in Europe, Latin America and West Africa.
FUN FACT: Natasha has a soft spot for adopting special needs dogs, including her deaf Australian Shepherd Winston!
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Glessie has been providing support to NARO since February 2023.
She joined ADB in November 2009. She previously served as an Associate Workforce Planning Officer in the Strategic Workforce Unit under the Budget, People, and Management Systems Department, where she provided analytical support for workforce analysis, staffing data, and budget reporting. Prior to this, she supported ADB as a Financial Control Assistant and a Budget and Management Services Assistant, ensuring proper due diligence by meticulously processing transactions and maintaining accurate financial records.
Glessie is a CPA licensed in the Philippines, with a master’s in public management from the University of the Philippines and a bachelor’s in commerce, majoring in accounting, from the University of St. La Salle.
FUN FACT: Glessie enjoys creative pursuits like crafting and sewing, which allow her to express her creativity and make unique, personalized items. She also enjoys the logical problem-solving aspects of designing patterns and managing projects.
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Megan joined ADB in July as a Research and Administrative Assistant. She is a recent graduate of the University of Maryland with degrees in international relations and public Policy. She is particularly interested in gender and development goals.
Prior to starting at ADB, she worked on various research projects relating to international development and organizations as well as interned for Congressional Leadership and the U Department of the Treasury.
FUN FACT: Megan loves to travel! Her favorite place she has visited is Croatia!
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Asia and the Pacific Transport Forum 2024
May 14-17
The Transport Forum 2024 was hosted by ADB on 14 and 15 May, with capacity-development events held on 16-17 May. The focus of this biennial event was on ADB’s transport sector support and assistance in climate change and sustainable development alongside sector-specific topics, such as rail, urban transport, smart mobility, road safety, and road system operations. Learn more here.
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First Meeting of the CAREC Working Group on Climate Change
May 29-30
The CAREC Working Group on Climate Change met in Astana, Kazakhstan where senior officials from CAREC Countries and Development Partners attended. Participants discussed priority sectors and critical areas of interventions for a CAREC climate change action plan, as well as best practices and approaches to align regional projects and initiatives with the Paris Agreement goals and commitments and mobilize climate finance in the region.
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Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF)
June 3-7
ACEF 2024 was held at the Asian Development Bank headquarters in Manila from 3-7 June 2024. Over 150 speakers share their knowledge and expertise on a vast range of clean energy technologies and financing across Asia and the Pacific. Learn more here.
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Asian Economic Development Conference 2024
July 13-14
Co-organized by the Asian Development Bank, Asian Development Bank Institute, and Seoul National University, the conference featured knowledge and research that provide critical insights on key development issues in Asia and the Pacific, including climate change, inequality and poverty, gender, labor, domestic resource mobilization, health and education, technology and innovation, trade and regional cooperation, and macroeconomic and financial instability.
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International Conference on Ocean Prosperity: Catalyzing Blue Economy in Bangladesh
July 3rd
ADB and the Planning Commission, Government of Bangladesh are partnering to advance understanding and examine opportunities to support the development of blue economy in Bangladesh. The event will enhance understanding of the Blue Economy to scale up blue projects, suitable financing and showcasing regional best practices and experiences which can be replicated in Bangladesh. A Blue accelerator session will empower private sector, including local startups and small and medium enterprises within the blue sector, by enhancing their business and impact measurement capabilities. Learn more here.
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Samuel Tumiwa
Representative
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Glessie Chavez
Administration and Communication Coordinator
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Alain Borghijs
Deputy Representative
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Pia Tenchavez
Associate Administration and Communications Coordinator
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Natasha Mooney
Senior External Relations Officer
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Megan Williams
Research and Administrative Assistant
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