ADB strategy 2020: selling Asia to the private sector

6 May 2008

In a recent sign-on statement, multiple civil society organizations rejected the Asian Development Bank's new strategy, arguing that it will push for more private sector involvement in development and lead to more harmful impacts on services, livelihoods, food security and the environment.

Multiple civil society organizations (CSOs) have released a sign-on statement that rejects the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) strategic framework for a "New Asia." "Strategy 2020" and the "Long Term Strategic Framework", the two plans put forth by the ADB, were criticized in the statement as being a continuation of the ADB's policy of pushing the privatization of services within Asia. Privatization of these services, CSOs argue, has led to "huge and continuous increases in rates, much diminished access of poor households and communities to these services, the monopoly of natural resources by private businesses, massive dislocations of communities, and environmental damage."

Read the full sign-on statement below in English and Spanish:

ADB Strategy 2020: Selling Asia to the Private Sector May 6, 2008 (Acrobat pdf, 93 KB)

La Estrategia de ADB: Vendiendo Asia al Sector Privado May 6, 2008 (Acrobat pdf, 103 KB) - en Español