Milan, May 4 (AseanAll) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Japan have launched a new multi-donor trust fund to help developing countries in Asia and the Pacific strengthen private sector development, enable and mobilize private capital, and build long-term investment ecosystems.
The ADB Market Acceleration Platform for Asia and the Pacific (AMAP) was established through a contribution agreement signed by ADB President Masato Kanda and Japanese Minister of Finance Katsunobu Katō on 3 May on the sidelines of ADB’s 58th Annual Meeting in Milan. Japan is the founding contributor, with an initial commitment of $20 million.
Speaking at the seminar “Catalyzing Private Sector Development in Asia and the Pacific: What Role for MDBs” during the Annual Meeting, Mr. Kanda said “Private investment must be at the center of development solutions. With AMAP, ADB will expand its ability to help countries mobilize capital not only for individual transactions, but also enable the broader reforms and institutional improvements needed to unlock sustained private investment.”
AMAP will support a wide range of activities, including policy and regulatory reforms, institutional capacity building, investment pipeline development, and the design of de-risking structures. It aims to attract private sector participation in key development areas such as infrastructure, clean energy, financial services, and digital transformation, while also providing targeted support to frontier markets, including the Pacific.
“AMAP will help promote the business environment by providing policy advice to strengthen regulations and institutions,” said Mr. Katō during the seminar. “It will also enhance ADB’s business outreach activities, so as to bring more technology and knowledge to its development projects. I encourage other interested partners to participate in this initiative. At this critical juncture, I cannot emphasize more the importance of collaboration.”
The trust fund reflects ADB’s increasing emphasis on private sector-led growth and its commitment to act as both an enabler and mobilizer of private capital. It will complement ADB’s growing private sector operations, which contributed to record total commitments of $24.3 billion in 2024. By 2030, ADB aims to increase financing for private investments four-fold to $13 billion annually.
Private sector development is one of five strategic operational priorities under ADB’s Strategy 2030 and was reaffirmed in the strategy’s recent midterm review. While private capital mobilization remains a key indicator of multilateral development bank effectiveness, ADB also recognizes the importance of sustained upstream work to strengthen the enabling environment for investment to flourish.
Mr. Kanda also announced that ADB is preparing a strategic platform to enhance engagement with both existing and new development partners, The PSD PARTNER Forum—Promoting Alignment of Resources, Technologies and Networks for Enablement and Resilience—will serve as an umbrella initiative to coordinate trust fund support across blended finance, public-private partnership preparation, and broader private sector development work.
ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, ADB harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard our planet. Founded in 1966, ADB is owned by 69 members—50 from the region.
