ADB's Kanda gets second term

The Asian Development Bank's Board of Governors has unanimously backed Masato Kanda for a second term as president, according to The Express Tribune. The endorsement came in a recently concluded election. His new five-year term is set to begin on November 24, 2026.

Kanda was first elected as the 11th president in November 2024 and took office in February 2025, completing the remaining term of Masatsugu Asakawa. Since then, ADB has widened its support to members amid several overlapping crises. Its 2025 total reached a record $44 billion, of which more than $29 billion came from its own resources and nearly $15 billion was cofinancing.

In his statement, Kanda said he was honoured by members' confidence at a critical point for the region. He warned that fresh shocks are arriving before earlier ones have been absorbed, and argued that ADB must be a source of stability without standing still.