Paving the Way for Capital Market Solutions to
Infrastructure Funding
In the face of an uncertain global economic environment, governments around the world are looking to boost competitiveness as well as their domestic markets to help fuel strong growth. Infrastructure development is a major element in this renewed drive. However, with liquidity tightening due to concerns over inflation, and project-finance lending banks hamstrung by new financial regulations, alternative channels to infrastructure loans will be necessary to ensure these massive new initiatives receive the required private sector financing.
The underdeveloped capital markets in emerging economies can fill the gap. The deepening of regional municipal bond markets and the creation of an effective project bond market in Asia and other parts of the world, along with debt and other alternative financing solutions, have great potential, as long as creditworthiness, construction risks and other concerns are addressed. The opportunities around these new financing channels, and the challenges that have to be overcome for their potential to be realised, will be the focus of the fourth World Bank-Singapore Infrastructure Finance Summit.
The World Bank, the Singapore Ministry of Finance, the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the Financial Times, in association with the World Bank-ASEAN Infrastructure Finance Network, and with AusAID support, will gather leading policy-makers, investors, contractors and strategists to discuss these issues and generate innovative public-private solutions.
The Summit, chaired by David Pilling, Asia Editor of the Financial Times, will feature:
an opening address by Singapore Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang
an on-stage interview with World Bank Managing Director Sri Mulyani Indrawati
exclusive panel of ministers and financial sector leaders
a unique session on making the infrastructure value chain more effective
a discussion involving investors, bankers and ratings agencies on diversifying funding sources for infrastructure projects
Confirmed speakers include:
Cesar Purisima, Secretary of Finance, Philippines
Sergey Storchak, Deputy Finance Minister, Russia
Areepong Bhoocha-Oom, Permanent Secretary at Ministry of Finance, Thailand
Hans-Martin Aerts, Head of Infrastructure Asia, APG Asset Management
Cosette Canilao, Executive Director, PPP Center Philippines
Deng Xuesong, General Manager, China Railway 11th Bureau Group (Singapore)
Anita George, Director - Infrastructure and Natural Resources, IFC
Ian Greer, Managing Director and Analytical Manager, Infrastructure Ratings Asia-Pacific, Standard & Poor’s