SECRETARY-GENERAL, IN MESSAGE TO CONFERENCE, SAYS TRANSPARENCY, TRUST VITAL

TO PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERShIPS FOR INFRaSTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT

 

Following is the text of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for the Ministerial Conference on Public-Private Partnerships for Infrastructure Development, in Seoul, Republic of Korea, on 5 October:

It is a pleasure and an honour to send heartfelt greetings to all those who have assembled in Seoul on the occasion of this Ministerial Conference on Public-Private Partnerships for Infrastructure Development.  The issues that you will be discussing are among my priority concerns, and I thank the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) for making this conference happen.  If we are to reach the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the world’s leaders on the dawn of the new millennium, we must mobilize all segments of our global society, and you are among its most influential members.

The Goals were adopted to create an unstoppable momentum towards bringing the benefits of globalization to all.  Today, great efforts are being made in both the public and private sectors to ensure that the Goals become a reality for millions of disadvantaged human beings.  This requires developing adequate infrastructure for transport, energy, water and health services.  That, in turn, requires investments, goods and expertise that cannot be provided by the public sector alone.

In the Asia-Pacific region, the financial requirements for infrastructure development are estimated at $200 billion per year over the next five years.  To create lasting improvements to infrastructure, Governments need to create an enabling environment through strategic long-term planning and supportive policies.  And they need to work with the private sector to develop innovative solutions to financing and delivering services.  Today, we see can see public-private partnerships enabling businesses around the world to actively and productively contribute to critical infrastructure projects.

Transparency and trust are vital components of these partnerships -- particularly when business has important responsibilities for the financing and delivery of collective goods.  Through the United Nations Global Compact -- the world’s largest corporate citizenship initiative -- the United Nations is working with business, Governments and civil society to advance notions of corporate responsibility, thereby establishing an atmosphere of accountability and trust that allows for more collaborative solution-finding.

Your deliberations over the next two days will help shape the future of a region, which is home to more than half the world’s people, and which accounts for a quarter of international trade.  Beyond the accountability of Governments to their electorate, and the responsibility of companies to their shareholders, we have a joint mission to give citizens of this region the tools to create their own prosperity.  With this exciting challenge ahead, I wish you every success in your deliberations.

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For information media • not an official record