Aktau, Kazakhstan, September 17, 2009—
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Kazakhstan Public-Private Partnership Center today signed an agreement to cooperate on increasing private sector investments in the country’s infrastructure.
The memorandum of understanding reflects the government’s commitment to enhance partnerships with the private sector, and it aims to strengthen the institutional capacity of the public administration for promoting public-private partnerships.
“With the financial crisis, governments increasingly are turning to the private sector to improve the quality of public services by financing, developing, and managing transportation, energy, telecommunications, water, sanitation, and other projects,” said Laurence Carter, Director of IFC Infrastructure Advisory Services.
“This signing marks the beginning of an enhanced level of cooperation between IFC and the PPP Center,” said Bolat Smagulov, Chairman of the Public-Private Partnership Center. “We will benefit from IFC’s vast experience in providing transaction advice on sustainable infrastructure projects.”
Established in 1989, IFC Advisory Services in Infrastructure has worked on more than 250 projects 80 countries. IFC is the only multilateral institution to offer direct advisory services to governments on implementing transactions with private-sector participation. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org/infrastructureadvisory
.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, fosters sustainable economic growth in developing countries by financing private sector investment, mobilizing private capital in local and international financial markets, and providing advisory and risk mitigation services to businesses and governments. IFC’s vision is that poor people should have the opportunity to escape poverty and improve their lives. Our new investments totaled $14.5 billion in fiscal 2009, helping channel capital into developing countries during the financial crisis.
About the Kazakhstan Public-Private Partnership Center
The PPP Center is a joint stock company with 100 percent government participation. Established in 2008, the center has played a leading role in key infrastructure projects such as the Shar station-Ustkamenogorsk railway and the South Kazakhstan-Aktobe oblast electric power line.