ASIAN Development Bank President (ADB) Haruhiko Kuroda will visit Australia next week. Mr. Kuroda will deliver the keynote address at the 2011 Annual Development Conference organized by the Crawford Fund and to be held at Parliament House in Canberra.

During his trip from 14 to 17 August, Mr. Kuroda will also meet with senior government officials, and speak at the University of Sydney.

"President Kuroda's visit highlights ADB's good relationship with Australia and its long-standing commitment to reduce poverty in the Asia Pacific region," said Mr. Eugenue Zhukov, Regional Director of ADB's Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office based in Sydney. "It reaffirms ADB's and Australia's strong, effective and transparent partnership."

The Pacific Liaison and Coordination Office in Sydney is ADB's representative office in Australia and acts as the focal point for programming, processing, and administration of assistance to Nauru, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.

Australia is ADB's fifth largest shareholder, a founding member, and a long-term co-financing partner. It has contributed and committed $2.33 billion to ADB's Special Funds Resources since 1966.

ADB, based in Manila , is dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific through inclusive economic growth, environmentally sustainable growth and regional integration. Established in 1966, it is owned by 67 members - 48 from the region. In 2010, ADB approvals, including cofinancing, totaled $17.51 billion. In addition, ADS's ongoing Trade Finance Program supported $2.8 billion in trade. ADB, 12/08/11.