Greetings from Samuel Tumiwa, NARO Representative | | November 2025 - February 2026 | | |
As we begin the year, I am pleased to share highlights from a productive period at the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) North American Representative Office (NARO). Over recent months, our team has continued to deepen partnerships across Canada and the US, relationships that remain central to advancing economic development in Asia and the Pacific.
During this period, NARO welcomed a delegation of senior ADB officials, supported missions spanning private sector engagement and digital technology, and convened discussions on how best to tackle forward‑looking development challenges. In late 2025, NARO brought together partners for the final event in our year-long future-casting series, marking NARO’s 30th anniversary. Building on earlier discussions throughout the year, the final presentation underscored the importance of collaboration with ADB and its partners in Canada and the US to deepen our collective development impact across the region.
We have also continued to strengthen ADB’s business outreach, where our team has been actively engaging with companies to raise awareness of ADB-financed opportunities and procurement processes. Most recently, we participated in outreach events in Montreal and Washington, DC, where we shared ADB’s priorities and discussed pathways for firms to partner with us. Looking ahead, in late February we will host a Business Opportunities Seminar in Honolulu, Hawaii, for US companies interested in ADB-financed contracts and consultancies spanning infrastructure, energy, digital development, and more.
As ADB marks 60 years of partnering with its member countries to address complex challenges, we remain grateful for your continued engagement with NARO. Together, we will keep advancing our shared goal of reducing poverty and fostering sustainable development across Asia and the Pacific.
As this will be my final newsletter edition as Representative of NARO, I would like to take a moment to express my appreciation for the strong partnerships we have built together. It has been a privilege to work alongside colleagues and stakeholders across Canada and the US to advance our shared development priorities and strengthen ADB’s engagement in North America. I am pleased to share that Junkyu Lee has been appointed as the next Representative of NARO. He will build on this foundation and continue deepening ADB’s collaboration with governments, private sector partners, and development stakeholders.
I hope this edition of the newsletter provides a meaningful snapshot of our recent activities and reflects the collaborative spirit that guides our work. I encourage you to stay connected through the NARO webpage and social media channels for events and updates.
| | Expanding Partnerships at the World Economic Forum | | |
At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, ADB President Masato Kanda underscored ADB’s role in advancing regional connectivity through initiatives such as the ASEAN Power Grid. He highlighted ADB’s commitment to investing in energy integration to expand access to reliable and affordable electricity for millions across Southeast Asia, while strengthening resilience and efficiency in regional power systems.
President Kanda also emphasized ADB’s broader priority of working with governments and the private sector to mobilize investment that supports inclusive and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific. During the Forum, ADB launched a High-Level Private Sector Advisory Group, which will help identify market constraints and catalyze actions to scale private capital.
While in Davos, President Kanda also met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, where he expressed his appreciation for Canada’s continued support for multilateralism and highlighted shared priorities such as the trade-development nexus and cooperation in Asia and the Pacific.
| | Increasing Energy Access: ADB's Updated Energy Policy | |
In December 2025, ADB approved changes to its energy policy to strengthen the Bank’s commitment to increasing energy access and improving energy efficiency.
These changes allow ADB to invest in nuclear power, which will follow rigorous assessments and the highest standards of safety, security, and environmental and social safeguards. Other changes include allowing the bank to finance projects that manage methane and recognizing ADB’s potential role in enabling critical mineral-to-manufacturing value chains. The updated policy will allow for increased energy access and energy security across Asia and the Pacific.
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| Mobilizing Climate Finance through the Canada-ADB Partnership | |
For over a decade, Canada and ADB have partnered to advance clean energy in emerging markets. Through the Canadian Climate Fund for the Private Sector in Asia I and II (CFPS and CFPS II), and the recent Canadian Climate and Nature Fund for the Private Sector in Asia (CANPA), this collaboration has helped de-risk investments, crowd in private capital, and accelerate the shift toward low-carbon energy systems across Asia and the Pacific.
This partnership underscores how climate finance can strengthen resilient infrastructure, support economic growth, and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable future. A short video highlighting Canada’s significant contribution through their single-donor trust funds with ADB offers a closer look at this collaboration and its impact.
| | Convening Partners for NARO's 30th Anniversary | | |
The future of partnerships in North America and the next 30 years of development in Asia and the Pacific was discussed at the final NARO future casting event in Washington, DC. Bart Édes, former NARO Representative and current Professor of Practice at McGill University and Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, presented his independent research on future development trends in Asia and the Pacific and opportunities for further Canada and US partnership with ADB to address shared development goals. Future casting has been the theme for NARO’s 30th anniversary year and has built upon many other events through 2025 examining the future of transport, Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations, health, and private sector mobilization.
This novel 30th anniversary theme convened a variety of NARO stakeholders from other multilaterals, think tanks, and Canadian and US government, and wraps up a series of events that put the spotlight on ADB’s partnerships and presence in North America.
| | Strengthening ADB-Canada Priorities for 2026 | | Strategic discussions were held with Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to strengthen collaboration and ensure alignment with priorities for 2026. While in Ottawa, Samuel Tumiwa, NARO Representative, and Alain Borghijs, NARO Deputy Representative, met with key divisions across GAC. During the mission, they presented the NARO 2026 work plan and planned activities, and held a meeting with Patricia Peña, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister for International Assistance Partnerships and Planning at GAC. In these discussions, the NARO team underscored how ADB’s operations, private sector engagement, and financing instruments are well positioned to support Canada’s trade–development nexus, and advance sustainable and inclusive growth through strengthened partnership in 2026. The mission also included discussions with the communications teams at GAC, as NARO strives to further promote Canada’s visibility at ADB. | | Gathering Experts for a Roundtable on Transforming Transportation | | Advancing transport through new technical innovations was the subject of discussion at an ADB-hosted roundtable at NARO. Convening transport experts during the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting, the roundtable brought together 15 experts from the public sector, private companies, academia, and other multilateral development banks. This event helped inform ADB’s use of emerging technology, such as artificial intelligence, in transport projects over the next year. NARO Representative Samuel Tumiwa gave opening remarks and the roundtable was moderated by Chen Chen, ADB Director of Transport. | | Highlighting Canada's Leadership in Private-Sector Climate Solutions at Annual Meeting | | Key developments and future directions for the CANPA were discussed during the Annual Meeting of the Canada-ADB Climate Funds in Ottawa. ADB staff met with senior officials from GAC, including Cam Do, Director General from the Development Finance Bureau, to review fund performance, portfolio, pipeline, and progress towards fund targets. The mission highlighted CANPA’s early progress and achievements, lessons, and updates from the previous CFPS and CFPS II, and selected success stories. | | Speaking at the Canada in Asia Conference | | |
Key ADB personnel leading initiatives on minerals, trade, and procurement were featured at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada’s flagship Canada in Asia Conference in Singapore. During the conference, ADB staff led discussions on major economic trends, Canada–Asia opportunities, and procurement engagement. They also served as panelists on sessions covering critical minerals, clean tech and strategic dependencies, and digital foundations for a connected future.
Through these engagements, ADB speakers highlighted institutional priorities to Canadian government and private sector stakeholders and reinforced ADB’s alignment with Canada’s strategic directions in the Asia-Pacific region.
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Business Engagement Corner
Upcoming Opportunities for Canadian and US Companies
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Hawaii Business Opportunities Seminar | 27 February 2026 | Honolulu, Hawaii:
NARO, in partnership with the Hawaii Chamber of Commerce, is hosting a business opportunities seminar tailored for US companies looking to expand into fast-growing markets across Asia and the Pacific. This event provides a comprehensive gateway to ADB opportunities by giving companies insight into being “ADB-ready”. Find more information about the event and register at the link here.
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Asia and The Pacific Food Systems Transformation Forum 2026 | 16-19 March 2026 | Manila, Philippines:
This event aims to advance ADB’s $40 billion Food Systems Transformation commitment and bring together government leaders, global experts, development partners, private sector innovators, and civil society to shape a resilient and sustainable food future for the region. It is a unique chance for agriculture and environment sector experts to connect with partners shaping the future of food systems in Asia and the Pacific. Find more information about the event here.
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Asia Clean Energy Forum (ACEF) 2026 | 8-11 June 2026 | Manila, Philippines:
ACEF 2026 will convene the region’s clean energy community for collaboration centered on the theme “Beyond Transition: Building Secure, Resilient, Inclusive and Intelligent Energy Systems.” This forum offers a timely moment to assess progress in Asia and the Pacific’s clean energy journey and learn about the new priorities of ADB’s energy sector. Find more information about the event here.
| | Presenting ADB Financed Contracts for East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific | | In partnership with the Society for International Development, NARO co-hosted a session on Opportunities in ADB Financed Contracts in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. Scott Morris, ADB Vice President for East and Southeast Asia, and the Pacific, met with over 40 US-based companies who attended both in-person and virtually. VP Morris provided an overview of the ADB and highlighted potential sectors within the region that ADB was investing in. | | Strengthening Outreach to Canadian Infrastructure Firms in Montreal | | Natasha Mooney, NARO’s Unit Head for External Relations, joined a panel discussion and delivered a presentation on the growing pipeline of ADB-financed infrastructure projects and clarified the procurement processes for firms with limited previous exposure to ADB at the Conseil des infrastructures’ Grand Forum Conference in Montreal, held in collaboration with Invest Québec. NARO’s engagement helped strengthen ADB’s visibility in the Canadian market and reinforced the importance of early outreach to help companies successfully position themselves for upcoming procurement and partnership opportunities. | | Presenting ADB Opportunities to International Affairs Students | | Over the past few weeks, NARO engaged with students and faculty at three leading universities to share new consultant research on International Development in Times of Uncertainty and highlight pathways into ADB through internships and the Young Professionals Program. NARO Deputy Representative Alain Borghijs spoke with students at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs at Carleton University and the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, while NARO’s Natasha Mooney participated in a panel discussion with students from The Fletcher School at Tufts University on careers in international development. These engagements strengthened ADB’s visibility across Canadian and US academia and deepened partnerships with emerging leaders in development policy and practice. | | |
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Committing to Quality Infrastructure: ADB's Procurement Reform
As of 1 January 2026, all internationally advertised contracts financed by ADB will be evaluated using merit point criteria (MPC). MPC applies weighted scoring to factors such as quality and innovation, ensuring that contracts are awarded to bidders who will deliver sustainable and impactful results. This reform strengthens ADB’s commitment to quality and value for money in its projects, while also introducing other changes to create more local jobs and increase engagement with suppliers across Asia-Pacific.
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Transforming Education to Boost Employment and Economic Opportunities in the Solomon Islands
The Asian Development Fund (ADF) is ADB’s concessional financing arm, supporting Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations and Small Island Developing States. In the Solomon Islands, ADF is helping strengthen education and job readiness through the Senior Secondary Education Improvement Project. The initiative combines a $35 million in ADF grants from ADF 13 and a $10 million ADB concessional loan to improve school infrastructure, teaching quality, and skills pathways for approximately 18,000 students. The intervention is critical in Solomon Islands, where only 14 out of every 100 children who start grade 1 go on to graduate from secondary school. Learn more about ADF here.
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Eric Smith
Eric Smith is a new Research Associate at NARO. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Eric has previous experience interning with the International Trade Administration’s Advocacy Center. At NARO, Eric is assisting the team with business outreach.
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