We’re excited to launch this new dedicated blog platform around public-private partnerships (PPP). We envision it as a space for sharing experiences, disseminating knowledge and generating discussion. We hope that this space will be enriched by perspectives from PPP practitioners in governments, from investors, financiers, advisors, associations and so forth.
Why? There is a danger that public-private partnerships are being oversold.
can help secure investments,
expertise and other resources
for infrastructure that delivers
essential services like
clean water.
A “disappointment gap” currently exists between high expectations and the sober reality of successfully concluded partnerships. Too much attention is often paid to financing, and not enough to the less glamorous hard work of preparation. There isn’t enough information being collected about performance. And there are different interpretations about what PPP means, exactly.
Right now, the PPP discussion is rhetoric-rich and data-poor. It is expectation-heavy, and cold-light-of-day reality is tougher. That’s a shame, because, when prepared carefully, with full assessment of the different options, and the fiscal/economic/environmental/social implications, PPPs can be a useful tool to help governments improve the quality and reach of their physical and social infrastructure services.
We’re working alongside the world’s other multilateral development banks to prepare a joint website for PPPs, which will be called the PPP Lab. That upcoming website – launching in June – will contain quantitative and qualitative information about PPPs and private infrastructure, including the Private Participation in Infrastructure Database, the Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure Resource Center, Infrascope reports, and the PPP Reference Guide.
In addition, our new online course on PPPs will introduce real-world cases to an audience that doesn’t attend PPP conferences or read development banks’ annual reports.
There are plentiful examples that illustrate the realities, challenges and opportunities that PPPs offer. With your help, we intend to share and explore many of them on this blog. We invite you to read, share and engage with us on these topics and follow us on Twitter at @WBG_PPP.
Join the Conversation