Japan to support ADB developing member countries' response to Covid-19 challenges

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has provided several targeted interventions to support its developing member countries (DMCs) in combating the effects of the novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic from its early stages. In support of ADB’s effort, the Government of Japan is committed to providing emergency support of $150 million through the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) and the Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund (APDRF) to help DMCs strengthen their capacity to contain the spread of Covid-19.
“While ADB is collaborating with UN agencies and other development partners to provide rapid support to DMCs to quickly prepare for Covid-19, this funding from Japan will also help to strengthen country systems and ensure sustainability in the response to pandemics,” said director general of ADB’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department Woochong Um. “Strong health systems are needed to ensure robust disease surveillance, well trained and equipped health workforces, targeted evidence-based interventions, and sound clinical care.”
Following a $6.5 billion initial package, ADB announced on April 13 to triple the size of its response by adding $13.5 billion in resources to help its DMCs counter the severe macroeconomic and health impacts caused by Covid-19. The $20 billion package includes about $2.5 billion in concessional and grant resources. Japan’s contribution is on top of the package.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, 49 from the region.

PM hands over ADB-supported earthquake resistant model school to community

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today handed over the newly reconstructed Sanjiwani Secondary School in Dhulikhel to the community at a ceremony.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is supporting the reconstruction of 154 such schools badly damaged by the 2015 earthquake under the Earthquake Emergency Assistance Project.
“A better reconstruction process can strengthen a country’s resilience to natural disasters. Reconstruction offered us an opportunity to build back better and all the schools reconstructed after the earthquake with ADB support follow better standards, building norms, and amenities,” said ADB country director for Nepal Mukhtor Khamudkhanov. "The schools are not only safe and earthquake resistant, but also have better facilities," he said, adding that a safe and nurturing learning environment goes a long way in helping children develop their full potential.
Sanjiwani Secondary School is one of the 9 model schools reconstructed under the project. Besides 32 new classrooms, the school has a 12-room hostel for out-of-town students. To enhance science education, the school has been provided with ICT and science laboratories equipment. The model school concept is a new initiative under the government’s School Sector Development Programme, which aims to improve the quality of education in Nepal.
At the same event, two district roads in Kavre and Bhaktapur rehabilitated under the project were handed over to the provincial government in the presence of the communication minister Gokul Baskota and the chief executive officer of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA) Sushil Gyewali.
ADB is supporting the government’s efforts to put thousands of children back into schools, return vital government services to earthquake-affected communities, and create jobs and income for families by repairing critical road networks. A total of 162 schools, including 17 schools funded by USAID and 8 schools funded by the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR), are nearing completion with 90 schools already substantially completed under the project. ADB is also supporting reconstruction of 174 schools under the Disaster Resilience of Schools Project. ADB is supporting schools to prepare their own school disaster risk management plans. ADB support to Nepal reconstruction totals $382 million.
ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific, while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. In 2018, it made commitments of new loans and grants amounting to $21.6 billion. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members, 49 from the region.

ADB $150 million loan to help improve power distribution, efficiency in Nepal

The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Board of Directors has approved a $150 million loan to help improve the reliability and efficiency of Nepal’s electricity supply and distribution through the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
ADB will also administer a $2 million technical assistance grant from the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) financed by the government of Japan to strengthen the capacity of Nepal's energy sector to deliver Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) results.
"Reliable and sustainable electricity distribution and service is an important aspect to Nepal’s growth and development, as well as in the improvement of the quality of life of all its people,” said ADB senior energy specialist Jiwan Acharya. "We are confident that the project will help improve electricity distribution and efficiency in the country, and significantly support the government’s goal of ending the country’s energy crisis within the next two years and achieving Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Sustainable Energy for All)."
The electricity supplies are expected to increase rapidly during the next several years through various hydropower projects nearing completion and imports from India through cross-border line. Therefore, existing transmission and distribution systems need to be immediately rehabilitated and upgraded for the network to be able to deliver the additional electricity supplies to consumers.
The project will enhance the distribution capacity and improve reliability and quality of electricity supply in the Kathmandu Valley by reducing distribution system overloads and technical and commercial losses. This will be done through the strengthening of the transmission grid capacity, increasing capacity and rehabilitating the distribution network in the project area, and enhancing operational and financial performance of NEA distribution centers.
The project will also develop NEA’s capacity to operate and manage an advanced distribution system and intelligent network – smart grid – technology with GESI aspects in electricity access and end-user awareness programs.
NEA is the sole government agency responsible for electricity generation, transmission, and distribution in Nepal. Kathmandu Valley, the main project area, accounts for about 400,000 electricity end-users or about 16 per cent of NEA’s total consumers in Nepal.
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, ADB is celebrating 50 years of development partnership in the region. It is owned by 67 members, 48 from the region. In 2016, ADB assistance totaled $31.7 billion, including $14 billion in cofinancing.

ADB approves Japan-funded grant to rebuild schools, livelihoods

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) today approved a new $15 million grant to rebuild schools, provide microloans to help restore livelihoods, and to boost awareness of disasters in the 14 districts most severely affected by the recent earthquakes in Nepal.
 The grant is provided by the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR), a fund set up by the Japanese government in 2000 to support poverty reduction and social development in ADB projects. ADB will manage the grant.
“Destroyed homes, farmland, and business and lost livestock and harvests will push at least 700,000 additional Nepalis below the poverty line, many of them in the hard-hit rural central hill and mountain areas where poverty was already high,” said financial sector specialist with ADB’s South Asia Department Mayumi Ozaki. “We must help families get back on their feet as soon as possible so they can rebuild their lives.”
On top of the $15 million grant, the Nepal government will provide an additional $1.3 million and the Small Farmers Development Bank, a Nepali umbrella microfinance bank, will provide $1.5 million.
Around $8.1 million of the overall funding will be used to rebuild at least 14 model disaster-resilient schools, $7.0 will be mobilised to provide microcredit to at least 12,500 households in the affected districts, and a further $1.9 million will finance training to help people better understand how to prepare and cope with disasters. The remaining funds will be used for contingencies.
The 7.8 magnitude earthquake of April 25, followed by a major aftershock on May 12, affected the livelihoods of an estimated 2.3 million households and 5.6 million workers across 31 districts. This resulted in personal income losses of around $170 million in the fiscal year to July 15.
Most of these poor households have no access to the formal banking system, with many relying on microfinance institutions which cannot meet demand for credit from affected households due to their own limited funding. Schooling was also disrupted by the tremors which destroyed over 26,000 classrooms in public and private schools and damaged a further 26,000. Damage and losses in the education sector are estimated at around $310 million. Lengthy periods away from school are linked to poor education attainment and lower job prospects.
The $15 million grant adds to a $3 million disaster-response grant approved by ADB on 27 May and a $200 million emergency loan approved on June 24. ADB may also reassign funds from existing projects in Nepal to help the country recover.
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. In 2014, ADB assistance totaled $22.9 billion, including cofinancing of $9.2 billion.