The Asian Development Bank (ADB) commenced operations on 19 December 1966. Over the subsequent 50 years, the ADB has partnered its Asia-Pacific developing member countries on a remarkable journey of transformation and poverty reduction.

To help mark ADB’s half-century, a panel of eminent speakers shared their insights on Asia-Pacific development over the past 50 years, canvassed the future of the ADB, and discussed Australia’s partnership with the Bank.

How important has the ADB been to the development successes of the region? What have been its achievements and shortcomings? What are the main challenges facing the Asia-Pacific today? Is the ADB still relevant to the region, and how should its role evolve? How important is the ADB to Australia, and what should Australia expect from it?

Professor Ron Duncan is a former Director of Crawford School of Public Policy, and an eminent scholar of the Pacific and Asian economies. Stephen Groff is Vice President of the ADB and is responsible for the full range of ADB’s operations in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. Professor Hal Hill is the H W Arndt Professor Emeritus at Crawford School of Public Policy, and a foremost authority on the economies of Southeast Asia. Ms Annmaree O’Keefe is a Nonresident Fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy, and is currently co-authoring a Lowy report on the role and relevance of ADB in the 21st Century. Dr Matthew Dornan, Deputy Director of the Development Policy Centre chaired the panel.