CDIA Engages with Spanish Firms at ADB Business Opportunities Fair 2024
October 31, 2024
On 9 October 2024, CDIA held a meeting with 20 representatives from Spanish companies during the ADB Business Opportunities Fair 2024, which took place from 9 to 10 October in Manila, Philippines. The purpose of this meeting was to showcase CDIA’s work and potential opportunities.
Silvia Torices de la Varga, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Economic and Commercial Office of the Spanish Embassy in Manila made a special address, underscoring the Spanish Government’s support of €5 million to CDIA in facilitating the development of inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable urban infrastructure projects in Asia and the Pacific.
Lara Arjan, ADB Project Officer in charge of CDIA, together with Ivan Rodriguez Drobinski, Urban Development Specialist, led the presentation, highlighting the project preparation facility’s mission of improving the quality of life and sustainability of secondary cities in Asia and the Pacific. Since its inception in 2007, it has worked with 131 cities in 22 countries, commissioned 118 project preparation studies, and generated $14.2 billion in downstream investments.
The CDIA team also presented their ongoing initiatives including the Electric Bus Fleet as Public Service Project in Siem Reap in Cambodia, the Bangladesh Smart Cities Development Project, and the Kathmandu Ecological Urban Renewal Project in Nepal. Additionally, they highlighted key projects in the pipeline, such as the Climate-resilient Water Services Project in Uzbekistan and the Empowering Mobility through Electric Urban Solutions (EMERGE) project in Armenia.
Spanish representatives expressed great interest in CDIA’s approach to project preparation and linking them with financing sources. They also showed their eagerness in learning more about ADB procurement guidelines and supporting ADB/CDIA in enhancing livability in cities through innovative solutions.
The meeting was a key step in fostering potential partnerships with Spanish companies for urban development, enhancing the capacity of cities to implement high-priority investments, and ensuring access to financing.
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