PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS ARE KEY TO CLOSING GAPS IN SANITATION, EDUCATION AND HEALTH
Lima, September 10, 2024.- Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) are essential for the sustainability of infrastructure and public services in social sectors such as sanitation, education and health, according to the balance sheet presented today at the preparatory event for PPP Americas 2025, held in Lima.
The event, “Strategic Alliances: Strengthening social infrastructure to improve lives”, organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF) and the Private Investment Promotion Agency - PROINVERSIÓN, marked the beginning of a series of three meetings that will promote debate on the central issues to be addressed at the PPP Americas 2025, in April in Lima, the most important in the area of Public-Private Partnerships in Latin America and the Caribbean.
It also allowed for dialogue between public and private actors about the importance of developing quality social infrastructure through PPP and facilitating the exchange of experiences on priority projects in the countries of the region.
The key meeting was also attended by the Minister of Economy and Finance, José Arista, the representative of the IDB in Peru, Tomás Lopes -Teixeira; the executive director of PROINVERSIÓN, José Salardi and experts in sanitation, health and education from the region.
In the “360° Sanitation” panel: Integral Solutions for Sustainable Development”, presented some projects that have been promoted in water and sanitation through PPP in Peru, Brazil and Colombia, as well as the successful lessons learned from schemes that are generating positive impacts on users.
In the health panel, “Disruptive Technology in Health: Transforming Health Care through PPPs”, the experts addressed the greatest challenges and opportunities they have encountered in the implementation of PPPs and how the adoption of disruptive technologies has influenced the operational efficiency of hospitals managed under this mechanism, as well as the lessons learned and best practices in the implementation of this type of investment in health projects.
In this regard, Zulema Tomas, director of the National Institute for Child Health of San Borja, highlighted the positive experience of using the PPP modality in services called Green Coat such as sterilization and clinical pathology; and of Gray Coat, which includes building maintenance services, electromechanical installations and equipment, maintenance of clinical and non-clinical equipment, and the operation and maintenance of general services such as laundry, food, security, among others.
With regard to the “Education 4.0” panel: Improving school life through PPPs”, the speakers highlighted the challenges and lessons of using PPPs in this sector and the interest of private individuals to participate in these long-term investments.
Finally, in a meeting with businessmen, the executive director of PROINVERSIÓN, José Salardi, highlighted the uptick in public private project awards in Peru, driven by coordinated work by the Government and the trust of investors.
The head of PROINVERSIÓN, highlighted that between 2023 and August 2024, the agency awarded 26 projects with amounts associated with US$ 8.4 billion in PPPs and Projects in Assets. Between only in January and August 2024, 12 projects worth US$ 6,076 million have been awarded, in railway projects, ports, road infrastructure, electrical energy and phosphates (fertilizers).
Salardi estimated that between August and December, another 11 public-private projects will be awarded, for amounts associated with US$ 2.9 billion. Meanwhile, for the 2025 - 2026 period, 65 PPP projects and Projects in Assets are expected to be awarded for more than US$ 15.8 billion.
The PPP Americas forum is a recognition of Peru's progress in implementing this type of investment, good management in terms of award, the regulatory framework and the efforts made by the MEF and PROINVERSIÓN.
Source: Press Release – PROINVERSIÓN