ADB’s 59th Annual Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan brought together leaders, partners, experts, and stakeholders to discuss how the region can build the connected and resilient systems needed for the future.

Across four days, ADB announced major initiatives and partnerships on regional power grids, digital infrastructure, critical minerals, disaster resilience, and more.

Here's what you need to know.

ADB President Masato Kanda opened the Annual Meeting by urging Asia and the Pacific to “act together to develop together” through stronger cross-border connections that drive resilience and inclusive growth.

In his remarks, Mr. Kanda underscored how shocks today travel rapidly across borders—through energy markets, supply chains, and digital networks—hitting communities that are least able to absorb them. Addressing these challenges requires coordinated regional solutions that go beyond national boundaries, he said.

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ADB is bringing Asia and the Pacific together to build the connected systems that will power the region’s future. 

At the Annual Meeting, the bank announced it will back $70 billion in new energy and digital infrastructure initiatives by 2035, aiming to connect power grids, expand cross-border electricity trade, and improve broadband access across Asia and the Pacific.

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The decisions we make at this new crossroads will secure the future for the next generation. In this fragmented world, traditional and isolated development responses will fail. To survive and thrive in this new era, we must build deeply connected and resilient systems.

 ADB President Masato Kanda

ADB launched a new financing facility to help countries develop critical minerals supply chains needed for clean energy, batteries, electric vehicles, and digital technology.

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