Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda today announced his intention to stand for reelection as President after his current term ends on 23 November 2026, the Bank's press service reported. In this time of radical transformation where the development landscape is threatened by multiple, compounding shocks, the Asian Development Bank provides an anchor of stability for our developing member countries in Asia and the Pacific, said Mr.
Kanda. "With the trust of our partners, it would be my honor to continue leading ADB for the next five years. If reelected my foremost priority will be urgent action to protect our region against the challenges of today, while we build a brighter future for the next generation." ADB Presidents are nominated from ADB's regional members for a 5-year term and elected by the ADB Board of Governors.
Mr. Kanda was elected as President by the Board of Governors on 28 November 2024 and assumed office on 24 February 2025, to serve the remaining term of his predecessor, Mr. Masatsugu Asakawa. Under Mr. Kanda’s leadership, ADB delivered at an unprecedented scale in 2025, committing $29.3 billion of support from its own resources—20% more than in 2024—with partners contributing $14.7 billion for a total of $44 billion of development finance.
ADB also advanced major regional initiatives, announcing $10 billion for the ASEAN Power Grid (APG), over $10 billion for the CAREC Program, and spearheading the establishment of the Regional Connectivity Fund for APG. ADB also delivered $14 billion toward its $40 billion food systems transformation commitment and is providing comprehensive support for the Philippines’ ASEAN 2026 Chairship as Asia and the Pacific's main bank.
ADB also responded quickly to crises, as the first MDB to announce a support package for the Middle East conflict and by delivering rapid assistance for disasters and emergency response in Afghanistan, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
To meet the region's evolving demands, ADB updated its energy policy to support nuclear power for the first time, and launched a new Environmental and Social Framework, a strengthened procurement approach, and a first-of-its-kind agreement with the World Bank Group to fully rely on each other's systems in cofinanced sovereign projects.
Other reforms included the first amendment to the Charter in ADB's 60-year history, unlocking a 50% expansion in its operations, and a new Strategic Human Resource Framework to ensure that ADB remains agile, capable, and fit for purpose. Earlier, Qazinform reported ADB forecasts Kazakhstan’s 2026 GDP growth at 4.8%.