The Philippines will be hosting the first ASEAN Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Networking Forum in Manila this December 2014.
The forum will bring together members of the ASEAN Connectivity Coordinating Committee (ACCC), national coordinators, PPP focal points and officials responsible for infrastructure projects from the 10 ASEAN Member States (AMS).
It is being organized by the Philippine Permanent Mission to ASEAN, led by Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, with support from the ACCC, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), and the PPP Center of the Philippines. The forum, sponsored by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and ASEAN Regional Integration Support from the EU (EU ARISE), will be held at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Hotel from December 16 to 17.
The forum aims to be a venue for sharing experiences on PPP of every member country. It will tackle challenges, opportunities, and innovative PPP practices as well as insights from the private sector.
It will also facilitate dialogue about a proposal for ASEAN Guidelines/Principles on PPP that expects to harmonize policy, and institutional and regulatory frameworks of AMS with the view to further enhancing the economic integration and global competitiveness of the region.
This also aims to establish a network of PPP units or similar institutions that will be a venue for regular interaction of member countries.
Representatives from the private sector, financing institutions, and development partners will also be in attendance, providing an opportunity for ASEAN countries to pitch in their pipeline of projects and development support requirements.
Earlier this month, President Benigno Aquino III made the announcement of the country’s hosting of the said forum to fellow ASEAN leaders and top business officials during the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) dialogue, which was part of the recently-concluded 25th ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
“The forum will take stock of the outcomes of recent PPP initiatives in ASEAN and will serve as an avenue for exploring the future direction of PPP efforts in the ASEAN region,” President Aquino said during his intervention at the ABAC dialogue.
“In this way, with both the public and private sectors working together, we will sooner realize our vision of an inclusive, interconnected, and progressive region, one that serves as a wellspring of opportunity for all our peoples,” he added.
[Department of Foreign Affairs]