Numerous seminars will also be held in conjunction with the meeting on subjects of the challenges the region faces in banking, infrastructure development, energy, and in other areas, including Asian economic integration, sustainable energy development in Asia, policy and institutional frameworks for improving rural infrastructure, as well as Asia's capital market.

    During the ADB meeting, finance ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as China, Japan and South Korea are to meet to discuss their regional development cooperation.

    The Asia-Pacific region as a whole is on a fast pace of growth and is making good progress toward meeting the goals of poverty reduction. Despite the Indian Ocean tsunami and South Asia earthquake, bird flu threat and higher oil prices, the region's economic development was strong in 2005, gaining a 7.4 percent growth. ADB projected the region will achieve an overall economic expansion of 7.2 percent in 2006 and 7 percent in 2007.

    Judged by purchasing power parity, Asia and the Pacific now makes up 30 percent of global gross domestic product, while the proportion of population surviving on 1 U.S. dollar a day or less has come down from about 34 percent in 1990 to 19 percent in 2003.

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