Visit to Philippines

I will meet with our partners in the Philippines to discuss our shared commitment and collaboration to implement the Sustainable Development Goals for our mutual benefit, and attend the Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting, representing the Treasurer, the Hon Scott Morrison MP, as Australia’s Temporary Alternate Governor.

While in Manila, I will meet with my Philippine counterpart, Ernesto Pernia, Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

I will visit Cotabato City, the regional capital of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in southern Philippines, where I will meet government and communities to discuss the rebuilding of Marawi and long-term peace building efforts for the region, after the insurgency by ISIL-aligned militants last year.

For the remainder of my visit I will attend the ADB Annual Meeting and hold bilateral meetings with some of our key economic and development partners, as well as meet with the President of the ADB, Takehiko Nakao and the Board of Governors.

These meetings will provide opportunities to discuss the development of the ADB’s corporate and operational plan, Strategy 2030; responses to the rising inequality in the region; and to present Australia’s Governors’ statement, outlining Australia’s view of the challenges and goals of the Bank.

Under the theme ‘Linking People and Economies for Inclusive Growth, the 51st Asian Development Bank Annual Meeting will bring together Finance and Development Ministers, Central Bank Governors, private sector and civil society representatives from the Bank’s 67 member countries.

The ADB is an important development partner for Australia. Through the Bank we leverage significant financial resources and expertise to support sustainable development and poverty reduction in the Asia-Pacific region.

Its strategic priorities closely align with the objectives of Australia’s aid program including in infrastructure development, effective governance, disaster risk reduction, climate change and private sector development.

Australia is a founding member of the ADB, the fifth largest shareholder, third largest donor to the Bank’s Asian Development Fund and a leading co-financier.