Business news

BREST, 7 April (BelTA) – The interagency infrastructure coordination council chose two pilot projects out of those suggested by the oblast administrations of Belarus for implementation using public private partnership principles at an out session on 7 April. The projects will be presented during the international congress Public Private Partnership Days in London, BelTA has learned.

The two projects include the construction of the Beshenkovichi hydropower plant on the Zapadnaya Dvina River (suggested by the Vitebsk Oblast Executive Committee) and the reconstruction of the M10 motorway. The latter is an interoblast project suggested by the Transport and Communications Ministry. The interagency infrastructure coordination council was not able to agree on any specific social infrastructure project. Members of the council decided to make up their minds later.

The session involved representatives of Belarusian infrastructure ministries and agencies, the oblast administrations, the business community, international experts on public private partnership from Russia, Switzerland, and France.

With assistance of the Economic Commission for Europe and the UN/UNDP project meant to bolster Belarus’ potential for utilizing public private partnership mechanisms Belarus has been granted a unique opportunity to present three infrastructure projects before the world’s leading investors during the international congress Public Private Partnership Days that will take place in London on 16-17 July. The forum has been arranged by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Participants of the session of the interagency infrastructure coordination council had to review a total of seven infrastructure projects. The list had been approved by the council earlier for the sake of preparing the projects for the consequent implementation using public private partnership principles. Apart from the construction of the Beshenkovichi hydropower plant and the reconstruction of the M10 motorway the list included the construction of a main thoroughfare in Gomel that will be over 41km long and will include the construction of a bridge over the Sozh River and five crossovers. The list also included the reconstruction of Grodno city clinical hospital No. 3 for the sake of creating the Grodno Oblast clinical oncologic dispensary, the construction of a waste incinerator in Bobruisk, the construction of a chain of children daycare centers in a number of populated localities in Minsk District, the construction of the historical and cultural complex Brest. Apart from that, the Belarusian private sector suggested a project to build a swimming pool as well as residential premises and premises for meals as part of the city center for rowing sports in Minsk. The project was approved.

Preliminary feasibility studies involving international experts and the public private partnership center had been carried out for all the projects. Results of their evaluation by experts will be used to decide on the advisability of implementing them using public private partnership principles and on the financial model that should be built for the sake of their successful implementation.