BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 4. France has called on the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to step up its support for the most vulnerable countries amid rising global conflicts and instability in energy markets, Antoine Bergerot, France’s Acting Deputy Governor at the ADB, said at the ADB’s annual meeting in Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Trend reports.
He noted that against the backdrop of an international situation characterized by a growing number of conflicts with serious humanitarian, social, and economic consequences, multilateral institutions such as the ADB play a key role by combining emergency response measures with the strengthening of long-term sustainability, particularly in support of the most vulnerable and conflict-affected countries.
"France welcomes the Bank’s swift and flexible response to the consequences of the current crisis in the Middle East and urges the ADB to remain fully mobilized to support the most vulnerable member countries. In a context of high volatility, rising energy prices, and pressure on external financing, it is essential that the ADB deploy the full range of countercyclical instruments. France particularly welcomes the recent introduction of the Rapid Reprogramming Option, which is an important step in enhancing the Bank’s flexibility and responsiveness in times of crisis.
The country also supports the temporary adaptation of existing instruments, including the possible resumption of trade finance programs to ensure the import of vital energy resources under exceptional circumstances. “In addition, France calls for enhanced coordination of diagnostic and support packages among multilateral development banks (MDBs) to maximize the effective use of resources, and underscores the ADB’s special responsibility as chair of the MDB Leaders’ Group this year,” Bergerot said.
According to him, at the same time, France emphasizes the importance of maintaining alignment with the ADB’s long-term strategic objectives, particularly in supporting the energy transition and sustainability. “Where possible, emergency support measures should also contribute to the development of sustainable infrastructure and energy systems, so that short-term solutions simultaneously contribute to achieving long-term development and sustainability goals,” he said.
In addition, Bergerot noted that the current crisis underscores the need for the ADB to continue supporting member countries’ efforts to transition away from fossil fuels and manage energy market volatility in a manner that promotes overall sustainability. "The country calls for continued support for decarbonized energy sources and reaffirms its support for the Bank’s involvement in assisting states wishing to develop civil nuclear energy. France also calls on the ADB to step up efforts to assist countries in developing long-term transition strategies that align national measures with donor support, while providing the necessary policy and technical support in the short term to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, taking into account economic growth and development objectives," he said.
Bergerot added that in this context, France calls on the bank to continue its efforts to become the “region’s climate bank”: “This slogan must be backed by concrete and targeted actions that meet the region’s needs while simultaneously promoting development, climate change mitigation, adaptation, and overall sustainability. The country calls on the ADB to consistently uphold these commitments in accordance with the Paris Agreement.”
“Noting the bank’s heightened climate ambitions, including its goal of increasing the share of climate finance to 50% of total commitments by 2030, France congratulates the ADB on achieving record levels of climate finance in 2025,” he said.
