Fiji, May 5 -- New Zealand has welcomed the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) stronger focus on quality, competition, and value for money in its procurement processes.

Speaking at the Governors' high-level session during ADB's Annual Meeting in Samarkand, New Zealand's Temporary Alternate Governor, Llewellyn Roberts, said her government supports recent reforms, including the use of merit-based evaluation criteria for major contracts.

"We welcome the bank's increased focus on quality, competition, and value for money, including the directive to use merit-point criteria, improve early market engagement, and strengthen local labour participation," Roberts said.

She said New Zealand also supports the use of Pacific Quality Infrastructure Prin...