Masato Kanda reelected ADB president for 5-year term

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda received unanimous support for a second term as ADB President from the members of ADB's Board of Governors voting in the recently concluded election, Report informs via ADB.

His new term runs for 5 years beginning November 24, 2026.

Mr. Kanda was first elected as ADB 11th President on November 27, 2024 and assumed the position on February 24, 2025, serving the remaining term of his predecessor, Masatsugu Asakawa.

"I am deeply honored by the trust our members have placed in me at this critical moment in our region"s history. New shocks are striking Asia and the Pacific, even before economies have recovered from the last, and the international order is under its greatest strain in generations," said Mr. Kanda. "ADB must be the region's anchor of stability. But stability cannot mean standing still. We must mobilize with speed and at the scale our members need, to protect people today while helping build a brighter future for the next generation."

Since Mr. Kanda took office, ADB has significantly expanded its support to members during a period of overlapping crises. In 2025, ADB provided a record $44 billion in support, including more than $29 billion from its own resources and nearly $15 billion in cofinancing. A historic amendment to the ADB Charter paved the way for a 50% increase in ADB"s annual financing capacity, enabling annual financing from ADB"s own resources to exceed $36 billion.

Before joining ADB, Mr. Kanda served as a Special Advisor to Japan's Prime Minister and Finance Minister from 2024-2025, Japan's Vice-Minister of Finance for International Affairs from 2021 to 2024, and represented Japan in major international forums, including the Group of Seven and Group of Twenty.

ADB is a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient 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.

Azerbaijan has been a member of the ADB since 1999. During this period, the bank has invested approximately $5.6 billion in the country, $4.4 billion of which went to the public sector and $1.2 billion to the private sector. The main financing areas are energy ($1.7 billion) and transport ($1.5 billion).

Under the new partnership strategy, the ADB plans to provide up to $2.5 billion in financing to Azerbaijan.