Poor are left unconsidered by Asian Development Bank
by Ahmed Swapan
Madrid, Spain
Asian Development Bank's Annual General Meeting has been held from 3rd – 6th May 2008 in Madrid, Spain leaving the millions of poor of the developing countries left behind the scene. The mission of the Bank is of poverty reduction though it fails fulfilling the targets of its mission over more than four decades.
Bank is emphasizing private sector development while it will spend of its 50 per cent budget without considering the social protection and human security of the world largest poor Asians. Economic growth, environmental sustainability growth and regional integration are now the priority areas alongside while the lending agency has continuously been ignoring public service support.
ADB's strategy for 2020 determines private sector to be in the driving seat to control over a country leaving mainly public services open or the multinational corporations. Also Bank put pressure on the governments cutting down the spending from public services, and advocating for blanket privatization and commercialization while poor become worst sufferer due to cut down the state responsibility. Whom does the ADB serve? The corporate bias of ADB ensures private sector making profit over life, while millions of poor starve daily lack of food, children suffer from malnutrition, and people don't have access to land and water and to the common resources?
ADB's strategy for 2020 and its policies do not guarantee serving for the poor, but guaranteed private sector as their ally in business. Private sector led development though can promote growth, it doesn't ensure poverty reduction, rather help widening gaps between rich and poor and create social injustice and insecurity.
What will be role of the developing countries governments in Madrid? Should they think of the poor of their own countries and feel responsibility toward the poor, they must questions on Bank's policies and strategy.
Governments of the developing countries should hold the policy 'ownership' and should account the Bank for their actions
by Ahmed Swapan
Madrid, Spain
Asian Development Bank's Annual General Meeting has been held from 3rd – 6th May 2008 in Madrid, Spain leaving the millions of poor of the developing countries left behind the scene. The mission of the Bank is of poverty reduction though it fails fulfilling the targets of its mission over more than four decades.Bank is emphasizing private sector development while it will spend of its 50 per cent budget without considering the social protection and human security of the world largest poor Asians. Economic growth, environmental sustainability growth and regional integration are now the priority areas alongside while the lending agency has continuously been ignoring public service support.
ADB's strategy for 2020 determines private sector to be in the driving seat to control over a country leaving mainly public services open or the multinational corporations. Also Bank put pressure on the governments cutting down the spending from public services, and advocating for blanket privatization and commercialization while poor become worst sufferer due to cut down the state responsibility. Whom does the ADB serve? The corporate bias of ADB ensures private sector making profit over life, while millions of poor starve daily lack of food, children suffer from malnutrition, and people don't have access to land and water and to the common resources?
ADB's strategy for 2020 and its policies do not guarantee serving for the poor, but guaranteed private sector as their ally in business. Private sector led development though can promote growth, it doesn't ensure poverty reduction, rather help widening gaps between rich and poor and create social injustice and insecurity.
What will be role of the developing countries governments in Madrid? Should they think of the poor of their own countries and feel responsibility toward the poor, they must questions on Bank's policies and strategy.
Governments of the developing countries should hold the policy 'ownership' and should account the Bank for their actions
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