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22 Apr 2013

ESCWA Meeting on Infrastructure Investments and Public-Private Partnerships Concludes, Issues Rabat Declaration

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RabatPPPMeeting-April 2013.jpg

In partnership with the Ministry of Equipment and Transport of the Kingdom of Morocco, ESCWA held an expert group meeting on "Unlocking Infrastructure Investments and Mobilizing Financial Resources in the Arab Region," from 17 to 18 April 2013 at the Ministry of Equipment and Transport, Rabat. The meeting intended to engage member countries to identify sectors and activities that would benefit from advisory services in implementing Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), provided in partnership with the UNECE International PPP Centre of Excellence (ICoE). The meeting also facilitated the exchange of knowledge, experience and good practices in structuring and financing infrastructure projects in the region among participants. It served as a platform to launch the ESCWA Infrastructure Investments and Public-Private Partnerships Initiative, in cooperation with the UNECE International Centre of Excellence on PPPs. During its closing session, the meeting issued the Rabat Declaration. Following is the Declaration's text: The participants at the "ESCWA Experts Group Meeting Infrastructure Investments and Public-Private Partnerships in Rabat, Morocco 17 and 18 April 2013" concluded that: (1) Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) is a powerful internationally-recognized instrument for governments to stimulate the progress in infrastructural demands in developing the nation and/or region in by using the financial, operational and innovative resources and knowledge of the private sector; (2) PPP is initiated and facilitated by governments in partnership with the private sector and both parties recognize the need for a dedicated PPP policy which requires a skilled and experience government to enable PPPs; (3) The knowledge, experience and financial resources of International Financial Institutions, the private sector and other stakeholders are essential for a successful PPP implementation, a pipeline of PPP projects and cooperation between all stakeholders is essential. Therefore the participants welcome and support the initiative of ESCWA, in close cooperation with UNECE to support governments in the Arabic Region in the development in PPPs and unlock infrastructural investments in this region by: (1) Setting up an international PPP network in the Arabic Region for PPP experts and senior advisors from both the public as private sectors; (2) Possibilities to set up a master class on PPP for senior advisors and decision making officials on PPP to support the development of PPP policies, incorporating successful PPP policies around the world and experience on best practice with high level contribution of the private sector; (3) Investigate the possibilities to setup a International Specialist Centre under the UNECE International Centre of Excellence, in the Arabic region on different PPP areas, including an International Specialist Centre on PPP and Renewable Energy in Morocco and an International Specialist Centre on PPP and Islamic Financing in Dubai.
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