Representatives from the five central Asian republics agreed on a unique initiative to work together to build their respective capacities to deliver Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) on the occasion of a PPP event organized by UNECE in Istanbul, Turkey, on 29-30 April 2010.
PPPs have become commonplace in many countries as a means to develop infrastructure on time and within budget, thus increasing the access of citizens to important public services. In central Asia, despite the huge needs in sectors such as transport, energy and health and education, the model is not yet widely applied or understood.
To address this challenge the representatives of each of the five Central Asian republics agreed to establish a Team of Specialists on PPPs. The mission of this new group will be to develop PPPs in central Asian countries and to increase public and private sector capacity in PPP building in Central Asia.
Its objectives will be to:
UNECE’s Information Exchange Platform, set up to facilitate virtual meetings and exchange information, will be open to the group.
Ms. Gulnara Kalikova, who is working on the national PPP action plan in Kyrgyzstan, said that the Team can be formed as a free network of individuals representing public and private sectors, international organizations as well as freelance consultants and any other individuals interested in PPP development in Central Asian countries.
Ms. Zhanar Taizhanova from Kazakhstan, which is the only Central Asian republic with a fully operational PPP unit, welcomed the creation of the new Team and promised her country’s full support.
All the members emphasized the importance of the new grouping working with international agencies and organizations from outside the region. Ms. Muhabaat Mahmudova of Turkmenistan, stressed that “the initiative to form a Central Asian PPP Expert Group is essential for facilitating the access of the international community to Central Asia infrastructure development.”
The UNECE event “Addressing the Challenge of Doing PPPs in the Black Sea Region, the Caucasus and Central Asia: Bridging the Gap in PPP knowledge and skills”, in Istanbul, Turkey, on 29-30 April 2010, brought together around 100 PPP experts from the public and private sectors, and was co-organized with the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency, and the International PPP Platform Turkey.
For further information, please contact:

Tony Bonnici
UNECE Economic Cooperation and Integration Division
Economic Affairs Officer
Tel.: + 41 (0)22 917 2246
Email: [email protected]

Ref: ECE/ECID/10/P03