2020 MENA PPP Virtual Think Tank - Mobilising private sector engagement in regional infrastructure projects
7 videos • 249 views • by MEED | Middle East Economic Digest Sustained low oil prices over the past number of years have had a significant impact on the revenues of oil producing countries, particularly those in the GCC region. With the current pandemic putting additional strain on economies worldwide, traditional public spending trends in the region are being reviewed and cut back. Historically governments have invested heavily into infrastructure projects and public assets such as hospitals, schools, transport and more, however in light of the current situation it is clear that new, more sustainable ways of approaching project finance are required. Public Private Partnership (PPP) frameworks have long been used in other parts of the world and the concept has also been explored with mixed levels of interest around the MENA region, however without gaining much traction. That said, PPP contracts are indeed taking shape in the region, perhaps most notably schools projects in Saudi Arabia, healthcare in Kuwait and water and power projects in Qatar. In early 2020, Abu Dhabi also announced its intention to tender US$2.7 billion in PPP projects to finance and operate new social, municipal and transportation assets. Given the current global situation, there is no better time for regional governments to turn their focus to alternative project finance solutions such as PPP models and commit to exploring new ways of engaging the private sector, to reduce the burden on public sector budgets and to find more sustainable financing solutions for the future. MEED’s one-day MENA PPP Virtual Think Tank will bring together key public and private sector stakeholders from around the region to discuss the opportunities for PPP with the aim of moving towards real, sustainable project finance solutions to help support infrastructure development for years to come.