ADB retains top spot in aid transparency index of development organizations.

ISLAMABAD -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) retained its first place ranking in the 2020 Aid Transparency Index (ATI), an independent measurement of aid transparency released at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

In the index, spearheaded by British nongovernment organization Publish What You Fund, ADB's sovereign portfolio is ranked in the 'very good' transparency category of the ATI with the top score of 98, according to a press release issued by the ADB.

'I take great pride in ADB's first position in an index that is playing a key role in helping to promote greater transparency and openness among international agencies,' said ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa. 'ADB has continuously worked to improve the disclosure of its aid data in terms of quality and scope. Our top ranking reflects the dedication of staff, across the organization, to ensure adherence to aid transparency standards.'

This is the second time that ADB ranked No. 1 in the ATI, which had its pilot run in 2011. The 2020 Index is the seventh full Index report to monitor and encourage progress toward aid transparency. Data collection was carried out from December 2019 to April 2020, and focused on 35 indicators, grouped into five components: finance and budgets, joining up development data, organizational planning and commitments, project attributes and performance. The Index groups donors into five categories based on their overall scores (out of 100).

Ten other organizations among the 47...