/ News
23.09.2013

Belarus and EU/UNDP launched a project on public-private partnership

The EU/UNDP project has been launched in Belarus to strengthen the country’s potential in applying public-private partnership (PPP) mechanisms.

The two-year project is designed to increase the capacity and improve training of representatives of the various stakeholders on issues of public-private partnership, to establish the national center of public-private partnership. It is also planned to introduce a mechanism of identification, selection and evaluation of projects, to develop a feasibility study for their launch and implement them in infrastructure industries.

The project is implemented by the UN Development Program jointly with experts of the UN European Economic Commission, with financial support from the European Union and the United Nations Development Program. The national coordinator is Economy Ministry.

The project goes in line with Belarus’ governmental program for 2011-2015 that envisage the development of legal and organizational support of public-private partnership, including working out a law introducing public-private partnership principles and mechanisms.

The project consists of three components aimed at advancement and development of the PPP concept. As part of an information and educational campaign stakeholders will get familiar with the PPP fundamentals, its advantages and best international experience. Promotional materials will make a source of information about the PPP mechanism itself, its conditions, potential and niches for PPP projects in Belarus. The project will train PPP national coordinators, plenipotentiary representatives, coaches and professional advisers in various aspects of public private partnership.

The project envisages development of a specialized website “Public-Private Partnership in Belarus” which is to make an expert platform in public-private partnership and assist the development of a PPP project market.

An important component of the project is the development of the national center for public-private partnership, which is to coordinate work on introduction of public-private partnership at the ministerial and regional level as well as organizations in raising investments.

The project also includes a component to introduce a mechanism of identification, selection and evaluation of projects.

It is expected that the project will contribute to the public-private partnership development in Belarus, help strengthen cooperation between the state and private sector, promote investment, reduce public expenditure, modernize infrastructure, intensify economic development, enhance the quality of services and finally improve living standards of the Belarusian people.

The first important event of the project will be a conference to study international experience in public-private partnership for representatives of ministries, oblast executive committees and businessmen. The conference will take place in Minsk on 18 October with the participation of the UNECE experts.