The Asia Water Development Outlook – a flagship publication by the Asian Development Bank - monitors progress in water security in the Asia Pacific region. For the first time, the 2020 edition documents financing flows that contribute to – or that are needed to enhance – water security in the region.

Working in close collaboration with the Asian Development Bank and partners, the OECD endeavoured to characterise funding needs and financing flows for water security in the region. The approach and methodology derive from a similar endeavour covering the European region, but were adjusted to reflect the distinctive features of the region, in terms of the state of play, policy, and data availability.

This paper compiles available data and analyses, and derives policy messages, for countries in the region and their partners (including development finance institutions). It characterises an enabling environment that can facilitate and expedite financing for water security commensurate with the challenges and distinctive opportunities in the region.