News The 2023 APN Conference successfully ended
Conference
The 2023 APN Conference successfully ended
- The 2023 Asia-Pacific PPP Practitioners’ Network (APN) was held in Seoul, Korea, at the Global Knowledge Exchange and Development Center (GKEDC), from October 31 to November 2.
The event was co-organized by the Korea Development Institute (KDI), the World Bank Group, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI), and was sponsored by the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MOEF) of Korea.
The conference was attended by infrastructure and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) practitioners, including senior-level officials from across Asia, professors and professionals from the financial sector. This year, around 23 public sector officials working in infrastructure areas from Armenia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lao PDR, Mongolia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the event.
The APN was first held in 2010, and this year was its 11th event, with a three-year interruption due to the COVID-19 crisis. The goal of the conference is to provide an opportunity to connect with PPP experts, participants from academia, and international organizations to promote peer learning and to act as a platform for regional and global PPP networks. This year, the conference was held at the GKED Center in Seoul, the hub of knowledge sharing of Korean economic development, and participants were offered a guided tour of the exhibition.Entitled, ‘Setting the Context for Infrastructure Investment as Catalyst for Sustainable Recovery and Climate-resilient Transition,” this year’s conference tried to tackle the challenges in the post-COVID era and climate change issues in PPP. The conference lasted for three days, including a visit to PPP sites that are currently operating. During the seven rich sessions and country roundtable of the first two days, all participants had the opportunity to actively discuss the PPP issues and challenges.
The conference began with opening remarks by Jongkyu Lee, Senior Vice President and Chief Management Officer of KDI, followed by welcome remarks from Jungyoon Oh, Director of PPP Policy Division of MOEF, and the keynote speech from Seungju Baek, Deputy Dean of ADBI.
Senior Vice President Lee, emphasizing that infrastructure is the backbone of a resilient society and equitable economy, expected that the conference be an opportunity for advancing infrastructure investment through PPPs amid today’s multifaceted socio-economic challenges including fiscal policy surrounding PPPs post-COVID-19.
- Session 1. Advancing PPPs for sustainable recovery in times of limited fiscal space
The first session, “Advancing PPPs for sustainable recovery in times of limited fiscal space,” (moderated by Hyungtai Kim, Executive Director of the Public and Private Infrastructure Investment Management Center (PIMAC) of KDI) discussed ways to expand private sector involvement in infrastructure and explored ways to respond to new challenges. The session focused on the Korean case of PPP policy direction with fiscal impact triggered by COVID-19 and highlighted the importance of considering the climate change issues in PPP.
- Session 2. Issues and challenges in the mobilization of private sector funds on infrastructure investment
Session two, “Issues and challenges in the mobilization of private sector funds on infrastructure investment,” (moderated by Seungju Baek, Deputy Dean of ADBI) explored the role of government in fund allocation and strategies to enhance collaboration between the public sector and private investors. The goal of the session was to uncover effective approaches to overcoming challenges and fostering successful partnerships for worthwhile infrastructure projects, showcasing the experience of Central Asian countries and the Philippines.
- Session 3. Building Green and Resilient Infrastructure through PPPs
Through session three, “Building Green and Resilient Infrastructure through PPPs,” (moderated by Towfiqua Hoque, Senior Infrastructure Finance Specialist of Global Infrastructure Facility (GIF) of the World Bank) participants discussed how to build pipelines of green and resilient infrastructure projects which can leverage limited public funds to raise commercial financing. The session focused on how to prepare and structure projects to balance risk allocation between the public and private sectors.
- Session 4. Opportunities for social infrastructure through PPPs
Meanwhile, governments are increasingly looking to PPP options to deliver much-needed social infrastructure to bring about social and economic development. Session four, “Opportunities for social infrastructure through PPPs,” (moderated by Adrian Torres, Director of the Office of Markets Development and PPP at ADB) explored how different types of social infrastructure are being delivered through PPPs, emerging trends, and new markets. Through this session, participants were able to understand some of the unique challenges of schools, hospitals, and housing sectors through case studies and innovations from successful projects
- Session 5. PPP investment and issues surrounding climate change
For the country roundtable, representatives from 11 countries in Asia, namely, Armenia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam actively participated to share their opinions based on their diverse backgrounds. The session was moderated by Hyeon Park, a Professor at the University of Seoul. Participants delved into the conference's theme of PPP investment and issues surrounding climate change
- Session 6. Financing of climate projects
Financing being the essence of PPP investment, session six “Financing of climate projects” (moderated by Takkyung Kim, Director of PPP Division at PIMAC, KDI) delivered cases of private sector financing on climate-resilient infrastructure projects and public financial institutions’ involvement in Korea. The session was an overview of public sector participation in financing PPP projects, with a special focus on climate change-resilient infrastructure projects.
- Session 7. Different ways to (re)invest in existing infrastructure in Australia, and on aging infrastructure rehabilitation in Japan and Korea
Aging infrastructure is an urgent concern or an issue to come for all countries. In session seven, participants explored ways to climate-resiliently renovate and safely pass on the current infrastructure facility to the future generation and how aging infrastructure may emerge as a new investment opportunity. Entitled, “Long-term perspective of infrastructure investment for a sustainable future” (moderated by Yoo-Eun Koh, Head of Global Cooperation Team at PIMAC, KDI), this session discussed different ways to (re)invest in existing infrastructure in Australia, and on aging infrastructure rehabilitation in Japan and Korea.
The 2023 APN Conference ended with a site visit to Incheon Bridge and Songdo Convensia. Participants had the opportunity to visit the longest bridge in Korea, the Incheon Bridge, built as a BTO (Build-Transfer-Operate) project. Songdo Convensia, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, was procured and is currently operated as a BTL (Build-Transfer-Lease) project.
Written by:
Injeong Hwang, Global Cooperation Team, Public and Private Infrastructure Investment Center 044-550-4707, injeong.hwang@kdi.re.kr
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