PPP Investment has spent many years dealing with development of public-private partnership (PPP) projects in Serbia, providing municipalities with support in the form of high-quality and timely solutions in energy efficiency, public bus passenger transportation, road maintenance, zoohygiene etc.
With the right governance structures and a commitment to the public interest, PPPs have the potential to shape a brighter future for all, where innovation, efficiency and social impact go hand-in-hand.
How do PPPs contribute to sustainable development?
– PPP projects increase access to essential services and reduce social inequality, improve economic impacts and fiscal sustainability, enable environmental protection and resilience, promote the further development of projects and the standardisation of documents, and involve all stakeholders in project implementation.
When we talk about sustainable development, we can’t help but mention the “PPP and Infrastructure Evaluation and Rating System (PIERS)” document that was adopted by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and that we have started to apply extensively during the preparation of our projects. We are thus striving to bring the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals closer to municipalities.
One of the significant outcomes defined by PIERS is Replicability. This is an element for which Serbia stands out from the other countries of the region, because it has created a replicable model for PPP investments.
Our projects are now harmonized with the SDGs, which is proven through the “value for people” and “value for the planet” methodology created by UNECE
This “outcome” provides both public and private partners with better predictability of preparation and project implementation, enabling foresight on many things, especially risks and costs, based on experience possessed.
You have this year received international recognition for your projects. What exactly is this about?
We were invited to present two projects of our companies at the PPP Forum in Athens, organised by the UNECE, because those projects were recognised for their contribution to sustainable development. One is the PPP project for public passenger transport in Bor, prepared by PPP Investment, and the other is a PPP project for the reconstruction of public lighting in Zaječar, implemented by Smart Energy Investment. We are particularly proud that the public lighting reconstruction project in Zaječar received special commendation from the UNECE for compliance with the SDGs and circular economy principles.
Another prestigious event, 4GAMECHANGERS, was held in Vienna and I was invited to join other distinguished panellists to discuss how we implement tech solutions in our projects and how that is shaping our society.
What characterises the projects you prepare?
– All the projects that we develop meet the criteria for public interest as defined by the Law on PPP and identified through “value for money” methodology. However, we have also broadened this approach and our projects are now harmonised with the SDGs, which we will be proven through the “value for people” and “value for the planet” methodology created by the UNECE.
By combining the strengths of the public and private sectors, these collaborations transform infrastructure, apply new technologies, increase economic growth, address social challenges and promote sustainable development. With the right governance structures and a commitment to the public interest, PPPs have the potential to shape a brighter future for all, where innovation, efficiency and social impact go hand-in-hand.