Hanoi, April 3, 2006 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Asian Development Bank's (ASX: ATB) new Country Director for Viet Nam Ayumi Konishi assumes office today.
Based at ADB's Viet Nam Resident Mission (VRM) in Hanoi, Mr. Konishi will be responsible for setting the priorities for ADB's assistance programs to Viet Nam. He will take lead in preparing ADB's results-based country strategy and program for Viet Nam in close consultation with government agencies, development partners, and civil society and nongovernment organizations.
He will also oversee the implementation of ADB's current loan portfolio in Viet Nam, consisting of 34 projects totaling about US$2.25 billion. Mr. Konishi will continue to work in harmony with the Government's agencies and development partners for improved Greater Mekong Subregion cooperation.
Mr. Konishi's appointment to Viet Nam comes at an opportune time as the Government of Viet Nam pursues integration into the global economy and with the pending accession to the World Trade Organization.
A Japanese national, Mr. Konishi, is a graduate of Oregon State University, US (1981), and Waseda University, Japan (1982), and has a masters degree from New York University, US, in Economics (1985). Mr. Konishi served the UN from 1982 in various capacities before joining ADB in 1988.
Mr. Konishi was intensively involved in developing a major assistance to Thailand during the Asian Economic Crisis in 1997 and then was assigned as ADB's principal desk officer for Indonesia between 1998 and 1999 for similar work. In 2000, he was appointed Programs Manager of Programs Department (East) and supported ADB operations in the People's Republic of China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, and Philippines. From 2002 to present, Mr. Konishi served as Director, Governance, Finance, Trade Division of the Southeast Asia Department.
"I have a great respect for Vietnam and Vietnamese people, and not only would ADB like to support the development of Viet Nam, there is a lot we can learn from this country," said Mr. Konishi. "I am very excited and consider myself to be highly fortunate to be working for such a dynamic country. I look forward to my assignment here."
Contact
Ayumi Konishi
Email: akonishi@adb.org
Tel:(84-4) 933-1374 to 76
| ||
|
