ADBI is recognized as the leader in the creation and sharing of knowledge on economic development in the Asia and Pacific region. ADBI conducts research and capacity building and training activities that contribute to the Asian Development Bank’s overall objective of poverty reduction. ADBI focuses on medium- to long-term development issues of strategic importance to senior policymakers. The objectives of ADBI, as set forth in its Statute, are to identify effective development strategies and to improve the capacity of agencies and organizations in developing member countries. ADBI strives to be demand-driven and to respond to important challenges affecting many stakeholders in the region in a timely, operationally relevant, and policy- oriented fashion. ADBI increases the impact of its activities by working closely with leading think tanks to shape the debate on key emerging issues and to develop sound and practical recommendations regarding policy reforms. ADBI ensures the quality of its research and capacity building and training programs by pursuing excellence and originality in areas where it has an unmatched strategic advantage, such as the analysis of emerging policy issues from a regional perspective.