Ideas for Developing Asia and the Pacific

Call for Papers on Unlocking Private Investment in Sustainable Infrastructure in Asia

Unlocking Private Investment in Sustainable Infrastructure in Asia
Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) and Central Asian Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Institute
Tokyo, Japan

Developing Asia will need $26 trillion in infrastructure investment over the next decade to maintain growth momentum, eradicate poverty, and address climate change, according to the Asian Development Bank. This required investment includes $14.7 trillion for power, $8.4 trillion for transport, $2.3 trillion for telecommunications, and $800 billion for water and sanitation.

The introduction of innovative measures to attract private sector capital will be crucial to overcoming the region’s infrastructure financing shortfall. Examples include improved public private partnerships, financial guarantees, and utilizing “spillover” tax revenue collected from the development effects of infrastructure to raise returns on investment in new projects and promote private infrastructure financing growth.

Attracting institutional investors such as insurance companies and pensions, which are characterized by long-term investment horizons of 10–20 years, will be particularly important to large-scale infrastructure development. This is amplified by banks’ propensity to invest in short- to medium-term projects consistent with the structure of their assets and liabilities but less compatible with infrastructure financing timelines.

Against this backdrop, ADBI and the CAREC Institute are seeking original, unpublished papers that examine ways to unlock private investment in sustainable infrastructure in Asia, with an emphasis on CAREC countries.

Papers may focus on, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • New schemes for investment in sustainable infrastructure
  • Role of government in attracting private investment in sustainable infrastructure
  • Role of government agencies in debt financing of infrastructure
  • Attracting investment in regional water management infrastructure
  • Models for measuring risk of investment in sustainable infrastructure
  • How to measure the spillover impact of infrastructural projects
  • How to conduct due diligence assessment on regional infrastructure projects
  • Infrastructure investment trusts
  • Financial guarantees for private investment in sustainable infrastructure
  • Public private partnerships and sustainable infrastructure investments
  • Institutional investors and sustainable infrastructure investments
  • Innovative community-based infrastructure development

Submission Procedure

Contributors should submit their extended abstract of about 1,000 words in English to [email protected], Derek Hondo ([email protected]), and Nella Hendriyetty ([email protected]) by 20 January 2020. The deadline is not extendable. The abstract should include the title; name of author(s), their affiliation(s), and research background; motivation and methodology; and expected policy implications. Successful applicants will be notified by 10 February 2020.

Selected applicants must submit their full paper of between 8,000-10,000 words to the above email address by 15 March 2020. The paper should adhere to the “ADBI Guidelines for Authors” and consist of the following structure:

  • Chapter title
  • Author(s) information: name, affiliation, address, and e-mail
  • Abstract (150-250 words)
  • Keywords or keyword phrases (4-8)
  • JEL classification code(s)
  • Introduction
  • Main text (split into sections with headings and subheadings)
  • Conclusion and policy recommendations
  • References (up to 50)
  • Index terms (1-2 per manuscript page and highlighted in green)

Authors of accepted papers will be invited to the policy workshop in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 25–26 March 2020. ADBI and the CAREC Institute will fund the travel of one author per paper, of whom must be a citizen of an ADB member country.

Questions or inquiries may be directed to Nella Hendriyetty ([email protected]) and Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary ([email protected]).

Project Organizing/Scientific Committee

  • Naoyuki Yoshino, Asian Development Bank Institute
  • Iskandar Abdullaev, CAREC Institute
  • Chul Ju Kim, Asian Development Bank Institute
  • Nella Sri Hendriyetty, Asian Development Bank Institute
  • Farhad Taghizadeh-Hesary, Tokai University
  • Eisa Khan Ayoob Ayoobi, CAREC Institute

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