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ADB/PPIAF Regional Workshop on Promoting Private Sector Participation in Railways

Developing nations face important structural challenges that must be addressed if they are to maintain sustained economic growth, improve living standards, and continue their pursuit of a greater role in the global economy. In many countries in Asia today, the interurban and intra-urban demand for passenger mobility and movement of freight has exceeded the capacity of the road network as well as that of existing railway services. Many of the region's railways require substantial investment to become viable entities and provide acceptable levels of services to users. Participation by the private sector in both investment and management of the region's railways is expected to increase the efficiency and quality of services, and mobilize urgently needed capital for modernization and new services.

The Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility (PPIAF) is a multidonor technical assistance facility established in 1999 to assist developing countries to improve the quality of their infrastructure through private sector involvement. The PPIAF-funded study Developing Best Practices for Promoting Private Sector Investment in Asian Railways was carried out with the following objectives:

• Increase awareness and inform DMC governments and other stakeholders in Asia on how private sector participation can increasingly be used for the development and operation of railways;
• Explore potential opportunities and options available in selected countries in Asia ; and
• Prepare best practice case studies and typical examples of private-public transactions for railways.

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The objectives of the workshop are to present the findings of the study, and solicit comments and inputs from government policy makers, investors, private sector operators, and donors on the potential for private sector participation in the development of railways in the region.

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The workshop will bring around 50 participants from DMC governments and representatives from the private sector, donors and other partner institutions.