Small-scale infrastructure demand in developing countries, and strategies to cost-effectively meet it with small-scale public-private partnership (PPP) projects, were spotlighted during the opening of the virtual 2025 Public-Private Partnerships Hot Topics Workshop Series on 2 April, hosted by the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance (MCDF) and partners.
The co-organizers of the four-part series include Egypt’s Ministry of Finance, the African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility, and World Association of PPP Units and Professionals (WAPPP). It builds on the successful inaugural PPP hot topics workshop series cohosted by MCDF in 2024.
To watch the workshop on small-scale PPPs context setting remarks, click here
To see the full session and featured presentations, visit MCDF’s digital platform, JIGSAW
The first workshop of the 2025 series featured a panel of PPP experts from government and multilateral development banks (MDBs), which discussed the importance of small-scale PPP growth for advancing the Sustainable Developing Goals. They noted the broad range of small-scale infrastructure that can be delivered through PPPs, such as health and education facilities, water pumps, streetlights, and small-scale energy generation projects, and shared case studies from Brazil, Canada, Uzbekistan, and across Africa.
The participants described common challenges that deter public and private investment in small-scale PPP projects, including high perceived risks and legal and regulatory frameworks designed for larger PPP projects. Project bundling, lightening regulatory requirements, and mobilizing government and MDB support to mitigate investor risks were strategies highlighted to address these challenges.
The participants took note of WAPPP’s forthcoming guidelines for small-scale PPP management, which it is developing in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Working Party on PPPs.
“Small-scale PPPs are extremely important because they affect communities,” explained WAPPP President Ziad-Alexandre Hayek, who moderated the panel. “The [WAPPP] guidelines will provide actionable guidance for policymakers dealing with small-scale PPPs.”
“Spotlighting lessons and insights from experienced practitioners that can help guide the development of high-quality PPP projects large and small is what the 2025 PPP Hot Topics Workshop Series is all about,” added Mr. Strahan Spencer, MCDF’s Platform Team Head.
The second workshop in the series will take place on 7 May 2025 and examine how to ensure the fiscal affordability of PPPs. The third workshop on 21 May will look at transport PPP innovations. The fourth and final workshop on 9/10 June (TBD) will explore imperatives for building the bankability of PPP projects.
Contact
David Hendrickson
Senior Communications Officer
Mobile: +86 185 0114 6758
david.hendrickson@themcdf.org
