Singapore Cooperation Enterprise (SCE) has encouraged Public- Private Partnerships with Botswana and the rest of the African countries to promote infrastructural development.
The Director International Partnerships, Anna NG, said that most governments of the Commonwealth countries have been turning towards the private sector as a means of financing infrastructure development through public private partnerships.
NG was speaking at a seminar that was held by the Centre of Specialisation in Public Administration and Management (CESPAM) and Common Wealth Secretariat London that was aimed at implementing successful and effective Public -Private Partnerships.
In an interview NG said Botswana should consider engaging in those partnerships, which she said can “help the government to overcome short-term fiscal constraints but with long term benefits of delivering improved infrastructure services at lower cost”.
“There are ready investors in Singapore and outside that are willing to invest in Botswana and the rest of Africa but our problem is we don’t have an entry point,” Ng said, adding that international banks like World Bank are ready to invest in some of the projects.
In addition she said there is Singapore infrastructural funds that are there and Singapore is looking for water systems projects to invest into.
“We are looking into investing into infrastructure projects that include power plants, water systems, environmental projects and toll roads,” she said.
NG said it will be a great opportunity for Botswana to partner with SCE as they will be able to share Singapore development experience.
She noted that some projects have not been able to attract investors as most of the projects are not commercially viable.
She said if Botswana is to partner with SCE they will bring in a team of advisors that is technical and legal advisors so as to set the stature right from the beginning.
“If the stature of the project is good from the beginning it will easily attract investors into those projects,” she said, adding that SCE is willing to have a joint initiative with local players that have projects.
“If we are to have a project with Botswana our 1st project will range from $US50 -100 million and we look forward to doing the project in a short time and the project should have good political support,” she said.
SCE was launched in Singapore after recognizing that many countries are keen to tap Singapore’s experience for their developmental needs and to sell Singapore’s public sector capabilities and expertise on a global level.
