The Asian Development Bank (ADB) granted $7.4 billion in loans for 67 projects in 2006, representing 28 percent more than its total disbursed funds the previous year. “Sustainable economic growth was the most prevalent theme,” said the ADB Annual Report 2006. The biggest country recipient was China with $1.6 billion or 21 percent of the total amount, while the finance industry got the highest funding among sectors, with $1.8 billion or 24 percent. Among the approved initiatives were multi-tranche financing facilities (MFFs) in Pakistan ($2.2 billion), India ($1.1 billion), Bangladesh ($430 million) and China ($50 million). The bank funding mostly came from the concessional Asian Development Fund (ADF), last replenished with $7 billion by its 28 donor-members during ADF IX in 2004. (Source: ADB loans up to $7.4B in 2006/The Philippine Star)
