ADB President Urges Faster Action on Water Security.

Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Masato Kanda today called for faster investment and reform to secure water across Asia and the Pacific, pointing to a new ADB-administered fund with Japan that will help developing economies strengthen disaster preparedness, infrastructure, and water management.

“Water underpins our health, our food, and our energy,” said Mr. Kanda during his keynote speech at the International Symposium Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Japan’s Water Day, which was honored by the presence of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. “It sustains ecosystems and powers economies, including through clean and reliable hydropower. In a world unsettled by conflict and volatile energy markets, the link between water and energy security has rarely mattered more. Water security is not merely a resource issue. It is the foundation of economic development.”

Rising Environmental Risks and Progress

Mr. Kanda warned that water and environmental risks are rising faster than the region’s preparedness:

• Flooding Risks: Over 40% of the world’s flood events occur in Asia.
• Basic Services Gap: Approximately 220 million people in Asia and the Pacific still lack basic water supply, while around 520 million lack basic sanitation.
• Fragile Gains: Although 2.7 billion people have moved out of extreme water insecurity since 2013 (according to ADB’s Asian Water Development Outlook 2025), about 4 billion people still face risks from unreliable services, water-related disasters, and deteriorating ecosystems.

Japan’s Model and Regional Commitments

Highlighting Japan’s five decades of national action since establishing Water Day in 1977, Mr. Kanda noted Japan’s integrated river basin management, disaster risk reduction systems, and efficient water supply networks as a strong global framework.

To address the widening regional investment gap, ADB committed $12.7 billion to the water sector from 2021 to 2025, benefiting nearly 63 million people through key regional initiatives:

• Expanding wastewater treatment in Fiji to safeguard marine ecosystems.
• Partnering with the IFC and Maynilad to improve urban water access in the Philippines.
• Supporting governance reforms in Sri Lanka to minimize costly utility water losses.

Mr. Kanda stressed that closing the regional water gap requires combining increased capital financing with stronger policies, institutional efficiency, and ecosystem restoration.