Mr. Craig Steffensen, North American Representative for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), spoke to students during the weekly Leaders in Development Seminar. Mr. Steffensen highlighted that two-thirds of the world’s poor live in Asia, and ADB provides direct assistance to these countries in support of development efforts. Specifically, ADB works in 5 core areas: infrastructure, environment, regional cooperation and integration, finance sector development, and education. The ADB also provides assistance in the areas of health, agriculture, and disaster and emergency assistance. Within Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) member states, immigration from rural to urban areas is occurring at a rate of 5,000 people per hour. Mr. Steffensen explained that the prospects for growth in this region are bright, but infrastructure development needs to catch up.