A special meeting of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Expert Group on Public Private Partnership (PPP’s) has agreed to work with governments to develop pilot projects in infrastructure. The purpose of this agreement is to showcase to countries in South East Europe and other transition economies the potential of PPPs and to facilitate dialogue between the private and public sectors that is essential for their success.

Leading experts on PPPs from all over the world resolved to implement a programme under which governments will propose a few infrastructure projects to the UNECE Expert Panel. The Expert Panel will select one from these submissions. This will be developed as a pilot project. By adopting this innovative method, the Group seeks to accelerate the delivery of successful PPPs into the market place. The UNECE Expert Panel is made up of businesspeople, project managers, bankers, legal experts and leading government officials, and they will select the project based on criteria they have set forth and to help facilitate the progress of the PPP into fruition. The UNECE Group will at the same time ensure that the social and environmental objectives of PPPs are encouraged and that principles of transparency, good governance and fair business are respected in developing PPPs in the region.

The Expert Group was founded in 1995 by the UNECE to produce guidelines and has held numerous high level consultations with Governments on developing PPPs. It works closely with the EBRD and international bodies such as UNIDO, UNCITRAL, ITU and the FAO and regional initiatives such as the CEI and BSEC. PPPs, which harness the resources of industry to help countries meet their infrastructure needs, have had tremendous success and a long history in a number of countries such as France, Sweden and the U.K. The UNECE is promoting their use now in the areas of Central and South Eastern Europe, where the need for energy, water and transportation is very critical. It has also launched under the auspices of the OECD and the UK Government, a Regional Flagship Initiative to promote PPPs within the Investment Compact of the Stability Pact for southeast Europe. A PPP Alliance will be established to promote this dialogue which will be open to all governments and the private sector.

Ms. Corinne Namblard, chairwoman of the UNECE BOT (Build-Operate-Transfer) Group and a director of one of France’s leading financial institution Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations declared:

"The private sector is faced with a challenge. It is clear that PPPs will not develop at the pace we should all expect until governments from western and eastern Europe actually commit to involving the private sector in infrastructure projects. The UNECE PPP Alliance will be an important vehicle to gain a better understanding of mutual benefits to each of the public and private sector, to ease unnecessary antagonism and renew this necessary ‘political will‘ within the seat of government."

Ms. Larissa Kaptisa, Director of the UNECE Coordinating Unit for her part said;

"PPPs are one of the most exciting ways to address the major challenges of infrastructure development which are facing almost all transition economies. Unfortunately, the development of these projects, given the needs, has been slower than anticipated and slower than other regions in the world. The UN is committed to working in partnership with the private sector to reverse this trend in all the transition economies. By promoting partnership, we are operationalising the initiative of the UN Secretary-General in the Global Compact and implementing the objectives of the UN Millennium Summit."

The Group will be requesting potential projects from governments in the coming months and will continue to serve in its advisory and training role while conducting the process. Interested parties wishing to join the Alliance can obtain information from the UNECE PPP website.

For more information please contact the PPP Alliance’s new website: