The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has launched its Asian Development Policy Report 2026 at the Annual Meeting in Samarkand, highlighting how greater specialization in global production has driven growth, job creation, and poverty reduction across Asia and the Pacific over the past 25 years. The report, Global Value Chains and Inclusive Development, shows that the region now accounts for one-third of global value chain trade, with developing economies doubling their share from 9% to 18% between 2000 and 2023.
East and Southeast Asian economies have become central players in global production networks, capturing significant value addition. However, smaller, lower-income, and geographically remote economies remain largely excluded. ADB Chief Economist Albert Park warned that growing geoeconomic fragmentation risks stifling industrialization and growth for economies stuck in low-value roles, stressing the need for support to help them adopt emerging technologies and strengthen infrastructure, logistics, and business environments.
While specialization has enabled rapid integration into global markets, benefits remain uneven, with large firms capturing most gains while small and medium-sized enterprises face barriers such as high compliance costs and limited capabilities. Geopolitical tensions, supply chain disruptions, and technological shifts are reshaping participation in global value chains, requiring new strategies to ensure resilience, sustainability, and inclusion.
The report identifies resilience as a critical aspect of competitiveness, emphasizing the importance of reliable infrastructure, flexible firms, and diversified markets. Environmental sustainability is also becoming a prerequisite, with compliance to evolving standards driving adoption of cleaner technologies. Inclusion remains central, requiring investments in infrastructure, open trade policies, skills development, and access to finance and digital platforms for SMEs.
ADB underscored its role as a leading multilateral development bank supporting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth across Asia and the Pacific. By harnessing financial tools and partnerships, it aims to help member countries transform lives, build quality infrastructure, and safeguard the planet, reinforcing its mission since its founding in 1966.
