Supporting an increased number of integrated cross-sector projects is an explicit ambition within ADB's Strategy 2030 and New Operating Model and is a key pillar of the ADB's Energy Policy to maximize development impact. This session will inform the audience of cross-sector integrated solutions, their benefits, and what the ADB is doing to support their development. In the opening remarks, the speaker will set the scene for the audience by defining cross-sector integrated solutions and explaining how such solutions are prioritized by the ADB. In the moderated discussion, the panelists will share their knowledge and experiences of supporting cross-sector solutions. They will outline why such solutions were chosen and the impact that they have delivered for DMCs. The presentation on Azul Rubik will focus on how this forthcoming suite of AI-powered tools will help increase the ideation and conceptualization of cross-sector solutions while helping ensure these are processed faster – potentially under the proposed Emerging Areas Sustainable Solutions Investment Facility (EASSIF). EASSIF is being proposed as a successor facility to the Pacific Renewable Energy Investment Facility, which is a programmatic and streamlined approach to processing renewable energy projects faster and with lower transaction costs. Fourteen projects and additional financing to 6 of these were processed in 7 Pacific DMCs from 2017-2024, with ADB financing totaling $183.5 million.

The primary objective for the session will be for the audience to leave the session with more knowledge of cross-sector solutions, their benefits, and what the ADB is doing to support their development and help promote deployment of such solutions in their areas of influence. Attendees will:

• Learn how these strategies and solutions could apply to other DMCs around the region (including their own)
• Find out how ADB is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to support both ADB and DMCs on this journey

This session will explore how having a cross-sector mindset, enabled by AI, can accelerate economic development. Panelists will share their experiences of how the ADB has worked with DMC's to jointly tackle vulnerabilities countries' face. During the session there will be an opportunity to highlight Azul Rubik, the suite of tools under development which aims to help increase the number and quality of cross-sector integrated solutions deployed and financed by ADB and development partners. Of particular interest to the audience will be the upcoming Knowledge Hub website which will be focused on sharing innovative case examples of cross-sector solutions from around the world.