<h1>Sustainable infrastructure financing: a lean, client responsive development bank model to fill EMDE investment gaps.</h1> The address frames the NDB's mandate as financing sustainable infrastructure in EMDEs to fill a large unmet investment need left by capital constrained MDBs, and sets operational expectations: rapid operationalization, lean governance, faster loan appraisal, diversified financing instruments including local currency financing, adoption of country systems where feasible, lower cost of loans, and use as a vehicle for South South cooperation and technology and knowledge exchange among member countries.