PPPs are an innovative financing mechanism to close the SDG investment financing gap in infrastructure and public services. Increasing the involvement of private investors in SDG-related infrastructure and public services and finding innovative financing solutions has become an ever more important policy imperative. However, private investors’ involvement in public (sometimes sensitive) sectors also raises a number of policy dilemmas. In fact, PPPs not only present opportunities, but also risks for countries using them in the pursuit of the SDGs.
In response to this challenge, development partners, including UN agencies, have developed numerous Guidelines and Toolkits. Among others, UNECE and UNCTAD are considering to join forces in the development of the “People-First Public-Private Partnerships Principles (P5)”, based on these organizations’ experience on PPPs and investment policy.
The joint UNECE and UNCTAD session will discuss the rationale, the scope and the constraints to the development of principles that could guide the transformation of current PPP models to make them fit for SDGs. It will include the presentation of the UNECE’s recent work on this matter, commentary from key public and private sector stakeholders, and an inclusive discussion, allowing member States, experts, and other stakeholders (including private sector and civil society) to reflect in light of their own experiences and expectations.
Issues for the debate
- What are key expectations for People-First PPPs?
- What are initial experiences with People-First PPPs? What lessons have been learned?
- What is the investment policy dimension of People-First PPPs and what can be gauged for national and international investment policymaking?
- What can be done to best align People’s first PPPs with the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs?
Note: The session will be followed by a side event: Technical Meeting on People-First PPP Impact Assessment Tool, scheduled 13:00-15:00 in Salle XI of Palais des Nations
Speaker(s)
Moderator(s)