EACC New York in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs UNDESA, OECD and the World Bank is organising a high-level dialog on Infrastructure & Energy Projects Financing.
The program is a follow up of the discussion started during the half-day Multi-Stakeholder Leadership Workshop in support of the United Nations “Financing for Development Process" held last May also in New York.
Topics to address during this discussion will include:
• What can be done systematically to support the financing of energy & infrastructure projects by policy makers, institutional investors and the private sector
> Challenges involved in addressing the widening infrastructure gap, what is being done so far
>> How does this align with the recommendations made in Addis Ababa and the SDGs developed to address this
> Challenges developed countries are facing and challenges developing countries need to deal with
>> What is working what isn’t working (what lessons can be applied)?
>> What can be done to improve the data collection & sharing for better infrastructure investment decisions?
>> How help public authorities to build capacity at all levels of government for investment decisions and project management
> Development/reform of Capital Markets
>> Role of Development Finance Institutions (DFI’s)
>> Role of Multilaterals to help prepare & improve market conditions (attract financing / generate project pipeline)
> Regulatory challenges (compliance/FCPA)
> Taxation Policies (best practices from around the world)
• Established best practice examples / Recommendations for new policies, guidelines
> Accountability, Risk assessment, Insurance & Risk Mitigation (de-risking Strategies)
>> Role of valuation/development of common language for project & financial risk assessment
>> How can Institutions like WB/IMF assist (expertise/best practice models)
>> What needs to be done to ensure transparency and integrity of infrastructure investment?
> Key characteristics of successful projects / characteristics of failed projects (take-aways)
>> How can project experiences be shared across all relevant stakeholders/partners
• Innovative Financing Vehicles / New Financing Models
> Standards for infrastructure lending (and monitoring)
>> Developing a class of standardized assets
>> Debt markets & how to engage corporate financing resources
> Integration of local capacities & SME’s Financing (for projects)
• Role of PPP’s / Changed landscape of PPP’s
> Energy strategy overall: Long-term/short-term, role of subsidies
>> Type of energy projects most suitable and should be addressed first (redundancy/resiliency)
>> Role of cities (local governments) who are the project partners
> How to develop a set of global guidelines for PPP’s (ref. UN DESA working paper No. 148)
> Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships
>> How to engage the private sector and what are the major impediments
>> What is each party bringing to the table: contributions and risk sharing between all partners
• National Urban Policy (compact & networked)
> Best practices currently at work around the world (why are they working/take-aways for other regions)
• What needs to change?
> 3 Concrete recommendations put forth by each panelist and the role of the institution the panelist is representing can play in driving change
PANELISTS:
• Jón Blöndal, Head of Budgeting & Public Expenditures, OECD
• Jeetu Balchandani, Head of North America Infrastructure Debt, BLACKROCK
• Tara Higgins, Partner, Energy & Infrastructure, ORRICK (Moderator)
• Bernardo Goarmon, Executive Vice President Finance, EDP RENEWABLES
• Björn Erik Gillsäter, Deputy Head of Mission to the United Nations, THE WORLD BANK
• David Nason, CEO, GE ENERGY FINANCIAL SERVICES
• Mike Parker, Infrastructure Advisory Leader, EY
• Marc Powell, Principal, Capital Projects and Infrastructure, PwC
• John Pollock, Managing Director, Head of Global Project Finance, AIG GLOBAL INVESTMENT GROUP
• Krishnan Sharma, Senior Economist Financing for Development, UN DESA
• Shari Spiegel, Chief Policy Analysis & Development Branch Financing for Development Office, UN DESA
TIME:
8:00 - 8:30 AM: Check in
8:30 - 10:30 AM: Program
10:30- 11:00 AM: Networking
REGISTRATION FEE:
EACC NY Members: Free of charge
Non-Members: $25