JAPANESE national Takafumi Kadono has assumed office as the new country director of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) Papua New Guinea (PNG) Resident Mission in Port Moresby.
Mr Kadono will oversee the formulation and implementation of the ADB’s new country partnership strategy for PNG and wider engagement in the country.
Mr Kadono has more than 26 years of international development experience with the ADB and the World Bank Group.
He most recently served as ADB’s country director for Sri Lanka.
“We will work with the government of PNG to further boost economic growth and social development by supporting improvements to the country’s transport and energy sectors, increasing access to health and education services and bolstering the competitiveness of the private sector,” Mr Kadono said in a statement issued by the ADB.
“ADB will continue to work closely with key partners to enhance the inclusivity and resilience of PNG’s financial and health systems to future shocks,” he said.
ADB is one of PNG’s largest financing partners for infrastructure investments in the transport and energy sectors.
It supports technical and vocational education and training, with cofinancing from the Australian government, to help prepare students to be more competitive and responsive to employment and industry demands.
ADB is a multilateral development bank supporting inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific.
Working with its members and partners to solve complex challenges together, it harnesses innovative financial tools and strategic partnerships to transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard the planet.
It was founded in 1966 and is owned by 69 members, 50 of which are from the region.
