Perhaps due to the dire situation the country faces, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) a major multilateral donor, has pledged to nearly double its assistance to Nepal next year. The ADB will provide a $115 million in loans and grants to Nepal for 2003, up from $60 million this year. Resident representative of the bank in Kathmandu, Richard Vokes, said the sum will be disbursed for five loans and nine technical assistance projects. He said deteriorating security has been the biggest impediment for economic development in the country. Given the continuing political instability and difficult security situation, the targeted economic growth rate of 4.3 percent in the current year is clearly not achievable, said Vokes. In 2002 the ADB approved two loans for secondary education support project and urban environment improvement project.