Publications
29 Apr 2025
2025 Annual Evaluation Review
Sound project design, robust monitoring systems, and strategic digital innovation are crucial to enhance the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) development effectiveness, according to the 2025 Annual Evaluation Review (AER). Published by the Independent Evaluation Department (IED), the AER provides an independent, high-level summary of ADB’s operational performance and development effectiveness.
From 2016 to 2024, challenges with infrastructure and financial sector projects, especially older ones, hindered improvements in ADB’s public and private sector operations, the report noted. The report underscores the need to maximize midstream learning and corrections to improve project effectiveness.
“Infrastructure performance challenges, particularly in complex financing structures, have led to a slight decline in results over the past year. This is largely due to projects dealing with more complex problems, emphasizing the need for better monitoring and evaluation practices,” said IED Director General Emmanuel Jimenez.
Technical assistance projects saw a rebound in performance as they optimized the benefits of digital innovation.
"ADB remains focused on leveraging its strengths for greater development effectiveness. The use of digital technology, for instance, has led to improvements in the delivery and reach of capacity building interventions," said evaluation team leader Hyun Son.
Each year, the AER focuses on a special theme. This year's report examines ADB’s support for regional cooperation and integration (RCI).
“While ADB has made notable progress in developing regional infrastructure connectivity, significant obstacles remain in enhancing regional competitiveness and delivering public goods. Cross-country collaboration is complex, requiring intensive knowledge work, policy dialogue, consensus-building, and innovative project design,” said evaluation co-leader Houqi Hong.
The report adds that leveraging sectoral and thematic expertise, addressing strategy and management gaps, and refining RCI project classification and results monitoring will help ADB advance its RCI agenda.
