The Asset Events

4th Asia Infrastructure Finance Leaders Dialogue

Spreading wealth creation

24 June 2019 - Singapore
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Countries in the Asia-Pacific are witnessing one the most exciting period in infrastructure investment. As economic activity in the region accelerates, governments are pursuing an aggressive infrastructure build-out that extends beyond the congested urbanized main centres of commerce. From Indonesia to the Philippines to Vietnam and other countries, opportunities are emerging for financing and investing.

The scale of the requirement is well documented. The Asian Development Bank, which published a report two years ago, suggests a total price tag of more than US$1.7 trillion per year to 2030 for 45 developing Asian countries. Meanwhile, these countries are investing only just over 50% of that total opening the way for especially the private sector to play a pivotal role.

The good news is that funds are available in the region and beyond that would be keen to participate in meeting the financing gap. Together with advancement in technology, which improves the turnaround time for projects while meeting standards on environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, the twin conditions into the future augur well for an exciting future.

The challenge, however, is how best to harness them to support the region’s infrastructure demands. Often, conditions on the ground especially during the preparatory stages are not suitable to attract participation from financial institutions and the private sector. Government policy also has the potential to slow progress if pronouncements do not provide enough safeguards to engender interest from would-be financiers and promoters.

Recent infrastructure successes in the region are already starting to bear fruit. Achievements are not just limited to headline-grabbing mega-projects but also smaller build-outs that are critical for the wider infrastructure connectivity of a country. For example, the Bekasi-Cawang-Kampung Melayu section in Indonesia opened in November 2017 after being idle for nearly 20 years. The opening in June last year of Terminal 2 in Cebu under the country’s PPP framework has led to increased international visitor arrivals with China Southern Airline launching a thrice weekly flight to the resort island.

That infrastructure serves as a catalyst for sustainable growth is well accepted by governments across the region. Its impact on business and commerce serves to broaden activity and thereby increase wealth to beyond the main urban centres in each country.

  • The infrastructure state of play: scoring the progress so far
  • How can capital markets increase its role as an intermediary for finance
  • Setting new standards: How are infrastructure investment incorporating ESG
  • Aligning expectation: how asset owners and project sponsors can work together
  • Transitioning project finance methodologies that works in the Asia-Pacific

 
Venue
London
Singapore
Date: 24 June 2019

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