Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are a contractual arrangement to acquire public assets and provide public services. This type of contract can include the creation and management of new infrastructure, a significant upgrade of existing infrastructure, and the management of existing infrastructure with the provision of public services.
The countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) face major challenges in financing and managing their public infrastructure. Budgetary constraints, exacerbated by the Covid-19 crisis, have limited public finance capacities. In this context, PPPs offer a viable solution for mobilising private resources and improving public infrastructure, without increasing public debt.
France and the World Bank have joined forces to launch a common initiative to promote public-private partnerships in WAEMU countries, at the request of countries in the region.
A roadmap was developed for this initiative during an initial assistance phase. It includes support for the selection and development of priority and immediate infrastructure projects, support for the implementation of a legal and institutional framework at the national and regional levels, and capacity building for administrations.
The PPP strategy and directive were enacted in September 2022 and Expertise France received a new request from the WAEMU Commission along the lines of the initial request. This request for technical assistance specifically concerns the dissemination and popularisation of the action plan associated with the PPP strategy, as well as capacity building and its implementation.
In response, Expertise France has made a proposal to the WAEMU Commission to assist its Member States with “the transposition of the Directive and the appropriation of the text”, and with the implementation of two components of the action plan related to the PPP management strategy in the WAEMU.
This action, financed by AFD and implemented by Expertise France, will assist WAEMU countries with the development of infrastructure and public services through PPPs. The project is based on four lines of action: support the WAEMU Commission, assist with the transposition of the PPP Directive in between two and four countries, support a pilot project, as well as the communication and capitalisation on the work in the WAEMU zone.
