UN Insights Shared on Infrastructure Financing in ASEAN

Jakarta, Indonesia, August 25 - Senior United Nations representative spoke at a high-level ASEAN dialogue to explore innovative financing solutions for infrastructure development. The event, titled “High-Level Dialogue on Promoting Sustainable Infrastructure Development by Enhancing Collaborative Effort Between Government and Private Sector”, was held on August 24 by the Ministry of Finance of Indonesia in alignment with its ASEAN Chairmanship agenda. Senior government officials across ASEAN countries joined representatives from the financial industry, multilateral development banks (MDB) and international organizations to identify points of collaboration to advance sustainable infrastructure.

As a side event to the Second ASEAN Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors’ Meeting 2023, the dialogue aimed to leverage diverse funding sources in sustainable infrastructure investment, and exchange learnings on innovative infrastructure financing tools from ASEAN countries. 

At the invitation of H.E. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr. Akira Moretto, Indonesia Country Manager of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), spoke as part of a panel on innovative financing models. He highlighted how infrastructure development improves the delivery of public services, followed by concrete examples of sustainable infrastructure projects implemented by UNOPS through national pension funds. 

UNOPS believes that infrastructure forms the backbone of a functioning society and understands the value of smart infrastructure solutions in underpinning every Sustainable Development Goal. It is estimated that more than USD 90 trillion is required in global infrastructure investment by 2030 to support sustainable development. As the fifth largest UN agency by delivery, implementing over USD 2.5 billion in development assistance globally in 2022, UNOPS provides technical support and services in identifying Financing for Development solutions in the infrastructure sector since 2015. As an Implementation Agency, UNOPS has demonstrated expertise in delivering infrastructure results in evolving Public Private Partnership (PPP) and innovative financing markets, in close collaboration with both government and investor stakeholders.

 To conclude his presentation, Mr. Moretto highlighted that “The Global South, including ASEAN, can achieve way more in self reliance with proper support, transparency and new funding sources complementary to MDB loans. Building on its successful track record, UNOPS looks forward to working closely with countries across the ASEAN region in infrastructure and beyond.”

The High-Level Dialogue also featured a ministerial panel on the key enablers and challenges in innovative infrastructure financing in ASEAN and an interactive session with the audience. Discussions painted a positive picture for the region’s future, through the strong public-private collaboration displayed towards people-centred resilient infrastructure. 

 

About UNOPS

UNOPS's mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development. We help the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, and deliver sustainable infrastructure and procurement in an efficient way. Read more: www.unops.org