The OECD Principles for Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure

Abstract

The shortage of infrastructure in developing countries presents a significant obstacle to meeting populations’ needs, to developing enterprises, and to achieving the goals of the Millennium Declaration. Within the OECD area, many countries face the double challenge of growing demand and aging physical assets in their infrastructure sectors, a challenge that could become an obstacle to sustained growth. In coming decades, the need for infrastructure investment worldwide, defined to include public utilities such as telecommunications, power, transportation, and water and sanitation, is estimated to exceed US$1,800 billion per year. If such amounts are to be raised, policymakers need to mobilize all potential sources of capital and consider innovative schemes for infrastructure financing.