ADB pledges disaster resilience support to Thailand and $200m Uzbekistan power loan
ADB President Masato Kanda met Thailand's prime minister in Bangkok and signed a $200 million loan with Uzbekistan to modernize electricity distribution.
The story in focus
ADB President Masato Kanda met Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok and pledged support for disaster resilience and Thailand's regional priorities, including its 2028 ASEAN chairship. Separately, Kanda signed a $200 million loan with Uzbekistan to modernize electricity distribution, described as ADB's first energy investment under a World Bank framework.
- ADB pledged to help Thailand strengthen disaster resilience and support its regional priorities ahead of the 2028 ASEAN chairship.
- Kanda signed a $200 million loan with Uzbekistan to modernize its electricity distribution network.
- ADB said it will mobilize up to $30 billion by 2030 for ASEAN priorities.
Thailand meeting and regional pledges
ADB President Masato Kanda met Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok on 16 October 2026 and pledged support for strengthening the country's disaster resilience and its regional priorities. The meeting was part of a four-day mission during which Kanda attended the 2026 World Bank Group–International Monetary Fund Annual Meetings.
Kanda said ADB is working closely with Thailand on resilience and cited private investment as a means of doing much of the work. The bank said Thailand is its second-largest destination for private sector investment and that since 2022 it has driven more than $3 billion in investments in clean energy, battery storage and agribusiness.
Looking to Thailand's 2028 ASEAN chairship, Kanda pledged ADB's support for its regional leadership. The bank said it will mobilize up to $30 billion by 2030 for ASEAN priorities and explore cooperation on connectivity, the digital and blue economies, sustainability-linked finance and food security.
Uzbekistan power loan
On the sidelines, Kanda and Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Jamshid Kuchkarov signed a $200 million loan agreement to help modernize the country's electricity distribution network, according to the release. ADB described it as its first energy investment under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework with the World Bank.
Kanda also exchanged the signed agreement for a $212 million loan supporting the first health sector project between Thailand's government and ADB, with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Ekniti Nitithanprapas.
As 2026 Chair of the MDB Heads Group, Kanda addressed the World Bank–IMF Development Committee, calling on multilateral development banks to mobilize more private capital and respond faster to crises.
What did ADB and Uzbekistan sign during the Bangkok meetings?
A $200 million loan agreement to help modernize Uzbekistan's electricity distribution network, which ADB described as its first energy investment under the Full Mutual Reliance Framework with the World Bank.
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