BISHKEK (ADB press service) — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Kanokpan Lao-Araya as its new Country Director for the Kyrgyz Republic. She replaces Candice McDeigan who was appointed as Country Director for Azerbaijan.

Ms. Lao-Araya will lead ADB’s operations in the Kyrgyz Republic and supervise the implementation of the bank’s country partnership strategy, 2018-2022 and country operations business plan, 2021-2023. Both aim to support growth and economic diversification, improve access to public and social services, and leverage regional cooperation and integration.

Ms. Lao-Araya has more than 25 years’ experience working on development and economic issues across the Asia-Pacific region. She joined ADB in 2001 from the Ministry of Finance in Thailand and has since held a series of increasingly senior positions. Latterly, she was ADB Country Director for Bhutan where she led the bank’s operations including the implementation of ADB’s COVID-19 support.

Ms. Lao-Araya holds doctorate and master’s degrees in economics from Indiana University Bloomington, USA, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. She is a national of Thailand.

In 2020, ADB provided more than $70 mln to the Kyrgyz Republic including $50 mln in budget support and $20 mln in emergency assistance to help mitigate the health, social, and economic impacts of COVID-19 and strengthen the health sector. Since the Kyrgyz Republic joined ADB in 1994, the bank has provided around $1.4 bln in grants and loans.