ADB Unveils €65 Billion Plan to Reshape Asia’s Energy and Digital Future
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has unveiled a €65 billion regional investment blueprint during its 59th Annual Meeting in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, signaling a major push to integrate energy systems and digital networks across Asia and the Pacific. The plan, which includes a €46 billion allocation for a Pan-Asia Power Grid and €18.2 billion for cross-border digital infrastructure, aims to link renewable energy sources, expand broadband access, and strengthen supply chains in an era of rising costs and geopolitical uncertainty.
More than 4,000 delegates from over 100 countries—including finance ministers, central bank governors, and private sector leaders—attended the forum, held under the theme “Crossroads of Development: Advancing a Connected Future.” The gathering came as developing Asia faces slower growth, with ADB projecting a 4.7% expansion in 2026 and inflation at 5.2%, driven by higher energy prices and ongoing global tensions.
ADB President Masato Kanda opened the meeting with a call for coordinated action. “The decisions we make at this new crossroads will secure the future for the next generation,” he said. “In this fragmented world, traditional and isolated development responses will fail. To survive and thrive in this new era, we must build deeply connected and resilient systems.”
The Pan-Asia Power Grid, the centerpiece of the plan, is expected to connect up to 20 gigawatts of renewable energy, expand transmission networks by 22,000 kilometers, and provide electricity to roughly 200 million people by 2035. The digital infrastructure component aims to reduce connectivity costs in remote and landlocked areas, boosting access to services and economic opportunities.
Uzbekistan emerged as a key partner during the meeting. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a €11 billion cooperation program with ADB and announced two new initiatives: a €92 million project to modernize 200 schools with STEM education, and a €275 million effort to expand financial inclusion. He also proposed a dedicated ADB program to scale artificial intelligence in developing countries and confirmed Uzbekistan’s intention to join the “Digital Highway for Asia” initiative, with a regional coordination center planned for Tashkent.
On the transport front, the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway was highlighted as a project that could cut delivery times to around 10 days and handle up to 15 million tonnes of cargo annually. Mirziyoyev also floated a “Digital Customs and Logistics Alliance” under the CAREC framework to streamline trade processes.
Climate and resource management were also on the agenda. Mirziyoyev referenced Uzbekistan’s “Yashil Makon” program, which plants 200 million trees each year, and proposed expanding it into a regional “Central Asia Green Belt” initiative. He stressed the importance of processing critical minerals locally rather than exporting raw materials.
ADB reported nearly €40 billion in support for the region in 2025, with its Board of Governors approving a €1.34 billion net income allocation for reserves, concessional financing, technical assistance, and disaster response.
Reactions to the announcement were mixed. Dr. Amina Rashid, an energy policy analyst based in Singapore, called the plan “ambitious but necessary,” noting that “cross-border energy grids are the only way to stabilize power supplies in a region where demand is skyrocketing and climate risks are mounting.” However, Javier Torres, a trade economist in Manila, was more cautious: “The numbers look good on paper, but implementation is the real test. ADB has a history of grand plans that get bogged down by national interests and bureaucratic delays.” Mei-Lin Chen, a small business owner in rural Laos, offered a sharper critique: “They talk about connecting us, but we’ve been waiting for reliable internet for years. Meanwhile, the big cities get all the attention. This sounds like another promise that won’t reach people like me.”
As the meeting concluded, Kanda emphasized that the success of the plan hinges on regional cooperation. “Energy and digital access will define regional development,” he said. “We cannot afford to go it alone.”