News
ADB Joins Cambodia’s Second Digital Trade Forum
ADB’s Law and Policy Reform (LPR) Program collaborated with the Digital Sector office (DIG) to support Cambodia’s 2nd Digital Trade Forum and Online Expo held on 12–13 September 2025 in Phnom Penh. Titled Advancing Cambodia’s Future through Digital Trade, the forum convened policymakers, private sector leaders, digital innovators, and youth representatives to explore opportunities and challenges in the digital sector.
ADB Highlights Legal Reforms to Unlock Agrifinance for Smallholders at APEC Workshop
On 8 October 2025 in Tokyo, ADB General Counsel Thomas Clark spoke at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Workshop on Secured Finance to Facilitate Sustainable Economic Growth and Improve Food Security, organized by the Economic Committee.
ADB, ADBI, and UNEP Convene Policy Dialogue on Model Forest Act Initiative Ahead of COP30 in November
On 25 September 2025 in Tokyo, ADB, ADB Institute, and the UN Environmental Programme held consultations on a legal blueprint for modernizing national forest laws being developed under the Model Forest Act Initiative, supported by the ADB Law and Policy Reform Program and other partners.
ADB Law and Policy Reform Program and ADB Institute Form Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Cross-Border Dispute Resolution
On 9–12 September 2025 in Tokyo, ADB Institute and ADB’s Law and Policy Reform Program conducted a skills-based training focused on international mediation and the Singapore Convention for government officials across Asia and the Pacific, as well as representatives from the ASEAN Secretariat, as part of the ADBI–ADB Alternative Dispute Resolution Education Program.
ADB Launches Training on FDI Legal Framework and Domestic Policymaking Towards Green Economic Transition
On 25-29 August 2025, ADB's Law and Policy Reform Program, in partnership with the Uzbekistan Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade, convened government officials across multiple ministries mandated to drive policy change. They participated in an intensive workshop to familiarize themselves with the legal framework for FDI critical for the green economic transition, as well as its interaction with domestic policymaking to enable them to contribute more effectively to reform process and help mitigate dispute risk for the government.
ADB Strengthens Capacity of Timorese Public Defenders to Handle Gender-Based Violence Cases
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Office of the Public Defender of Timor-Leste (ODP) recently concluded specialized workshops in Bali, Indonesia, to strengthen the capacity of Timorese public defenders in handling gender-based violence (GBV) cases. Held in August 2025, the training equipped defenders with practical skills to balance the rights of survivors and the accused in sensitive and complex cases.
ADB and ADBI Hold Third and Final Workshop in the Carbon Markets Webinar Series, on Legal and Regulatory Frameworks for Attracting Financing
On 1 August 2025, the ADB Office of the General Counsel and the ADB Institute hosted the final webinar in the Carbon Markets Series, which focused on developing legal and regulatory frameworks. Attended by 35 participants, the session explored key elements for building effective carbon markets, managing risks and opportunities, and attracting financing. In particular, presentations highlighted private sector considerations for investing—for instance, market feasibility and safeguards against greenwashing—and the importance of integrity in climate-related disclosures.
ADB Launches Legal Blueprint to Guide Law and Policymakers on Carbon Markets
In July 2025, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) published the seminal Legal Blueprint for Developing and Regulating Carbon Markets to serve as a valuable and timely knowledge resource for law and policymakers in designing national carbon market laws and regulations. Developed under ADB’s Law and Policy Reform (LPR) Program, the legal blueprint focuses on the supply side—what countries hosting carbon crediting projects need to regulate to provide legal clarity to market participants and ensure social and environmental integrity to generate high-integrity carbon credits.
ADB and ADBI Hold Second Workshop in Carbon Markets Webinar Series, Focusing on Safeguards, Community Protection, and Benefit Sharing
On 3 July 2025, the ADB Law and Policy Reform Program and the ADB Institute hosted a webinar entitled "Strengthening Legal Frameworks for Equitable and Sustainable Carbon Credit Implementation," the second workshop in the 3-part Carbon Markets Webinar Series.
Developing Innovative Business Models with AI in Uzbekistan
On May 27-28, 2025, ADB’s Law and Policy Reform (LPR) Program organized a transformative two-day training program titled "Developing Innovative Business Models with AI in Uzbekistan" in Tashkent. Organized in collaboration with the Graduate School of Business and Entrepreneurship, the event brought together stakeholders from government, academia, industry leaders, and tech sector experts to explore the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in driving Uzbekistan's digital transformation.