ADB Vice President says proud to support Govt’s development drive

Wednesday, 22 January 2014 00:05 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Asian Development Bank (ADB) Vice President Wencai Zhang yesterday ended a two-day visit to Sri Lanka during which he met with Government officials and visited ADB-funded flagship projects including Colombo Port, the Southern Expressway, and a school in Galle District. During the two-day visit, high-level meetings were conducted with key Government officials including Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa and Secretary to the Treasury and Alternate Governor for the ADB P.B. Jayasundera.

“ADB is proud to support the Sri Lankan Government’s development drive by funding projects in government priority areas." Zhang said. These include roads, skills and irrigation development, port expansion, urban water and wastewater management, and clean energy development,” he added. The Vice President was accompanied by Juan Miranda, Director General of ADB’s South Asia Regional Department, and Hao Zhang, Advisor to the Vice President. Sri Lanka joined ADB as a founding member in 1966. Between then and the end of December 2012, ADB has approved $5.8 billion in sovereign and non-sovereign loans to Sri Lanka. ADB’s country partnership strategy, 2012-2016, for Sri Lanka is closely aligned with the government’s own strategy and is focused on transport, energy, education, skills development, and water supply. ADB, based in Manila, is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members – 48 from the region.