THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) is achieving success on its core mission of making a positive impact on the lives of Asia’s poor, but is seen as lacking speed in decision-making, according to an independent survey released by the organisation Tuesday.

The “overwhelming majority” of the 900 stakeholders surveyed in 31 countries thought the ADB “is helping its member countries meet their development goals and objectives” a press release announcing the results stated. Around 30 of those surveyed were from Cambodia.

In Southeast Asia, 31 percent of respondents believed ADB was “very good” at stimulating development, with 61 of those surveyed saying it was “somewhat good” and 4 percent “somewhat bad”.

A total of 23 percent of south-east Asian respondents cited the organisation being “slow/bureaucratic/inflexible” as its greatest weakness – 5 percent higher than the average across the Asia-Pacific region.

Infrastructure was found to be the top concern for Southeast Asia, with 35 percent of those surveyed listing it as a top priority behind education with 27 percent and agricultural development with 21 percent.

The bank’s loans, grants, and other financing operations across Asia and the Pacific totalled US$16.1 billion during 2009, the release said.

In 2008 alone, Cambodia received 46 loans totaling $1 billion, according to the ADB website.

“The survey findings provide us with invaluable insights into how we can better serve our clients and achieve the development goals of our long-term strategic framework,” ADB President Haruhio Kuroda said in the press release.