Post-event statement

Over 140 policy makers and thinkers from more than 90 organizations in over 40 countries came together to discuss the theme Achieving Balanced Growth in Asia and the World for Sustainable Development: The Role of Think Tanks at the Global Think Tank Summit 2017 in Yokohama, Japan, 1–3 May 2017. Organized by the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), the Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program of the University of Pennsylvania (TTCSP), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) the summit was held right before the 50th Annual Meeting of ADB.

Highlights included keynote speeches by Yokohama City Mayor Fumiko Hayashi and Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, as well as numerous panel discussions, including one with ADB President Takehiko Nakao. Attendees discussed a broad range of subjects such as challenges to globalization, inclusive economic growth, poverty and inequality, and think tanks and civil society in the age of populism. They agreed that think tanks play a key role in civil society and should engage more with the public and foster more inclusive debate. They argued that think tanks can provide impartial viewpoints in contemporary political debates, help society navigate this period of global uncertainty, and pay greater attention to issues of social equity.

"To whom and how to disseminate the research of think tanks is critical, ” ADBI Dean Naoyuki Yoshino said. To address income inequality, he stressed the importance of taxation reform, financial inclusiveness such as in SME finance, and education.

https://www.adb.org/news/events/global-think-tank-summit-2017