11 May 2017

ADB quiet on Nauru after US pulls financial support

6:35 am on 11 May 2017

The Asian Development Bank has given no indication as to whether its assistance to Nauru will be affected by an act signed by the US president Donald Trump.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is an Asia regional development organization dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is an Asia regional development organization dedicated to reducing poverty in Asia and the Pacific. Photo: AFP/ Jay Directo

Nauru was no longer eligible for financial support from the US government because it recognises two Georgian break-away regions as independent countries.

The act signed by Mr Trump declares that Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Russian-occupied territories belonging to Georgia.

The US was a major financial contributor to the Asian Development Bank but the bank said it was apolitical.

It said it was supporting Nauru to achieve inclusive and sustainable development by strengthening its public financial management, raising the performance of state-owned enterprises, improving equitable service delivery and by addressing the country's considerable infrastructure needs.

The bank had been working with the Government of Nauru since 1991 and says it had approved a loan of $US5 million, seven grants totalling $20.3 million, and 13 technical assistance projects totalling $4.4 million.