What have we learned after a decade of public-private partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Until the end of 1990, Latin America and the Caribbean was the region with the greatest proliferation of public-private partnerships (PPPs). At that point, investments plummeted, partly due to negative reactions caused by its deficient implementation. In 2005, thanks to the joint efforts of public, private sector, and multilaterals, PPPs became again a widely used tool. Driven by the fall in commodities prices, the increase of fiscal deficits, and the improved conditions for implementing PPPs, many countries established specific institutions and strengthened their regulations. As a result, investments through PPPs grew almost five times, from US$8 billion in 2005 to US$39 billion in 2015. In barely one decade, Latin America and the Caribbean has registered US$361.3 billion in investments for almost 1,000 infrastructure projects through PPPs, primarily in the energy and transport sectors. PPPs potentially can help to overcome some of the public-sector limitations but they also raise concerns. Large-scale projects involve many technical, financial, environmental, and social risks. PPPs demand greater attention to risks assignment, conflict resolution, and the analysis of “value for money.” They also require institutional development that takes time to consolidate and, when it is poorly done, can even increase costs and reduce services or its quality. Transparency is also key to mitigate the risk of corruption, which has become more visible in Latin America and the Caribbean in recent years. In this context, multilateral development banks can play a key role supporting the development of proper environments for attracting private investment, supporting independent projects preparation, and helping to bridge financing gaps. These banks, also have a potential comparative advantage: their ability to be directly involved with the public and private sectors. 10 keys for strengthening the multilaterals’ support for PPPs The Office of Evaluation and Oversight has reviewed IDB Group support for PPPs in infrastructure projects at three levels: favorable environment, project preparation and financing, besides other development banks’ experience. These banks financed a small (3%) but considerable proportion of PPP’s investment in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB Group provided the most financing (35%), among these entities, with 145 approved operations for US$5.8 billion between 2006 and 2015. Based on our conclusions, the Evaluation of Public-Private Partnerships in Infrastructure, published last March presents 10 recommendations: Specific diagnostics: identify and evaluate potential demand for PPPs by country, including analysis of infrastructure needs in the sector, PPPs environment, fiscal limitations and risks, and type of support needed by the governments. Priorities: include a general framework to determine which countries and sectors need support, type of support needed, and define priorities. Focal point: establish a PPP focal point with sufficient authority and resources to promote collaboration among all parties involved in the institution. Capacities: do an inventory of existing capabilities, identify what is missing, and try to attract and maintain the necessary capabilities. Incentives: reform the incentives, granting rewards when private investors’ funds are mobilized and creating incentives for collaboration. Advisory services: Analyze infrastructure projects in the pipeline, and advise countries regarding the most suitable delivery model, regardless of the sector that will originate the operation. New products: Explore the use and development of new financial and advisory products tailored to the countries’ specific needs, such as local currency financing, advisory services, specific instruments supporting subnational governments, and project preparation mechanisms. Results framework: examine the value for money of PPPs operations, the quantity and quality of the services provided, costs to the taxpayer and the user and its sustainability, in addition to evaluating whether critical environmental and social objectives have been met. Knowledge: Design a specific knowledge strategy on PPPs to systematically capture and file the results of operations and lessons learned. Lessons learned:Systematically incorporate lessons learned by your own organization and other banks on the design and implementation of new PPP operations. Many Latin American and Caribbean countries with solid capacity for implementing PPPs have an extensive list of potential projects, and practically all the larger countries have an infrastructure investment program in which PPPs play a fundamental role. Moreover, since in some of the region’s most important economies the ratio between private investment and gross domestic product (GDP) continues to be low, there is a considerable margin for new projects. The development banks are well positioned to play a fundamental role in these future PPPs, providing support to ensure their suitability in economic, environmental, and social terms, to generate favorable environments that attract private investments, and to close the financing gaps. Only if these recommendations are implemented will we be able to contribute to a wave of successful PPPs and avoid the negative reactions we have seen in the past. The IDB Group has accepted the recommendations and is ready to put them into practice. Subscribe to receive more content like this! [mc4wp_form]