United Kingdom

In 2020, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for International Development (DFID) and Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) were merged into a new department called the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. DFID has been the country’s lead development agency before the merger while the FCO was responsible for promoting UK’s interest overseas including national security, increasing exports and investments, opening markets, ensuring access to resources, and promoting sustainable global growth. Other agencies providing development support include the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS); Conflict, Stability and Security Fund; the Home Office; the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Areas; the BBC World Service; HM Revenue & Customs; Prosperity Fund; and the Scottish Government.

At a Glance

Cumulative Project-Specific Cofinancing

$1.1 billion

  

Cumulative Trust Funds Contribution

$450.1 million

  

2020 Trust Funds Contribution

  • $7.2 million

The country provides development assistance to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India (selected states), Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. DFID also supported regional trade and connectivity programs in Central West and South Asia. BEIS’s priority countries are India, Indonesia, Malaysia, People’s Republic of China, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

The UK’s involvement with ADB’s nonsovereign operations is coursed through project cofinancing and engagement with ADB’s Trade and Supply Chain Finance Program, which comprises the Trade Finance Program (TFP) and the Supply Chain Finance Program (SCFP). From 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020, private entities domiciled in the UK had provided $5.3 billion cofinancing for 7 nonsovereign projects.

ADB’s TFP had supported 321 British export and import transactions (through British and non-British banks) to developing Asia valued at over $283.7 million as of December 2020. Exports and imports were to 10 countries, but mostly to Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Viet Nam. Isolating TFP’s work with British banks, the TFP works with 4 banks operating in the UK and has provided guarantees supporting $11.6 billion in trade in over 1,934 transactions. The TFP has mobilized $7.8 billion in cofinancing with banks domiciled in the UK. Furthermore, ADB’s SCFP works with 2 banks operating in the UK and has provided guarantees supporting $999 million in trade in over 2,632 transactions as of December 2020. The SCFP has mobilized $538 million in cofinancing with banks domiciled in the UK. This cofinancing helps leverage ADB resources and brings more support for developing members as well as exports, imports, growth, and job creation.

Active Trust Funds

1 January 2014–31 December 2020 Cofinanced Projects
Country Project Cofinancing Amount ($ million) Type of Cofinancinga
India Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction - West Bengal North South Road Corridor (Subproject 18) (Supplementary) 0.3 TA
Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction - Rajasthan Urban Development Program (Subproject 22) (Supplementary) 0.1 TA
Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction - Detailed Design for the SASEC Subregional Road Connectivity (Subproject 25) (Supplementary) 0.2 TA
Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction - Preparing the Second Power Sector Investment for Assam (Subproject 28) (Supplementary) 0.2 TA
Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction—Enhancing Capacities of Executing and Implementing Agencies to Achieve Gender Equality Results (Subproject 29) (Supplementary) 0.1 TA
Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction - Project Preparation and Implementation Support for Uttarakhand Emergency Assistance (Subproject 30) 2 TA
Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction - Project Preparation and Implementation Support for Odisha Power Sector Emergency Assistance (Subproject 31) 0.1 TA
Advanced Project Preparedness for Poverty Reduction - Capacity Development of Institutions in the Urban Sector in Rajasthan (Subproject 32) (Supplementary) 0.2 TA
Myanmar Support for Public-Private Partnership Framework Development 2 TA
Support for Strengthening Business Climate (Supplementary) 5.1 TA
Nepal Establishing Women and Children Service Centers – Additional Financing 3.2 G
Supporting the Strengthening Public Management Program (Supplementary) 0.6 TA
Pakistan Enabling Economic Corridors through Sustainable Transport Sector Development 15.4 TA
Enhancing Public–Private Partnerships in Pakistan (Provincial Support) 4.8 TA
Enhancing Public-Private Partnerships in Punjab 19.6 G
4 TA
National Highway Network Development in Balochistan 72.4 G
National Motorway M-4 Gojra–Shorkot Section 92 G
National Motorway M-4 Gojra–Shorkot–Khanewal Section – Additional Financing 34 G
National Trade Corridor Highway Investment Program – Tranche 2 82.4 G
National Trade Corridor Highway Investment Program – Tranche 3 39.2 G
Scoping Potential Economic Corridors in Pakistan 0.2 TA
Strengthening the Federal Public-Private Partnership Framework and Enabling Reforms for Infrastructure Financing Support 3.3 TA
Supporting Economic Corridor Development through Strategic Planning Frameworks 2.4 TA
Supporting Public–Private Partnership Investments in Sindh Province 19.2 G
Regional Asia Energy Efficiency Accelerator (Supplementary) 0.2 TA
Climate Public-Private Partnership Fund 94.3 E
Implementing the Regional Cooperation and Integration Operational Plan 0.2 TA
Promoting Investments and Economic Growth in Central and West Asia, East Asia, and South Asia Subregions 1.5 TA
Railway Sector Development in Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Countries 1 TA
South Asia Economic Integration Partnership - Power Trading in Bangladesh and Nepal (Subproject 1) 1 TA
"Early Harvest" Implementation of the Cross-Border Transport and Trade Facilitation in the Greater Mekong Subregion 0.5 TA
Almaty–Bishkek Economic Corridor Support (Supplementary) 0.8 TA
Fostering Expanded Regional Electricity and Gas Interconnection and Trade under the CAREC Energy Strategy 2030 2.5 TA
Implementation of Sustainable Transport For All (Supplementary) 1.2 TA
Promoting Innovations in Regional Cooperation and Integration in the Aftermath of COVID-19 2 TA
Strengthening Knowledge and Capacities for the Design and Implementation of Free Trade Agreements Involving Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Countries 0.7 TA

a E = official equity cofinancing, G = official grant cofinancing, TA = technical assistance cofinancing

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