One of ADB’s operational priorities in Strategy 2030 is strengthening governance and institutional capacity. It commits ADB to promoting effective, timely, and transparent delivery for better public service. Institutional strengthening efforts are critical to achieving desired outcomes, which require strong project readiness, sound project cycle management, and mainstreaming sustainability from the outset. ADB's Procurement, Portfolio, and Financial Management Department (PPFD) has designed this program to enhance the capacity of executing and implementing agencies (EAs/IAs) on robust and sustainable project design and implementation.

The forum drew lessons learned to achieve successful and sustainable project outcomes. Forum participants included EA/IA project directors and other senior staff from ADB member countries with some responsibility for ADB-financed projects.

The forum aimed to:

• Deepen an understanding of the linkage between readiness and implementation performance;
• Enhance knowledge on sector-specific challenges and applying countermeasures during design and implementation; and
• Emphasize the importance of robust developing member country (DMC) policies in project design and implementation.