Description
Addressing the challenge of the complex and capital-intensive rail infrastructure, and delivering faster, better and safer projects are of key importance to economic development worldwide. What is needed is better use of public sector revenue sources together with greater recourse to private finance. New approaches with private sector participation (PPPs) appear to be the way forward in developing countries to unlock capital and expertise, while they are increasingly used in the OECD bloc.

Alongside the UIC General Assembly, which gathers railway leaders worldwide, the present workshop aims to overview and assess the current state of PPPs in railways and the future opportunities and challenges they offer. It will bring together international PPP experts across all relevant backgrounds, to discuss the requirements for a greater anticipation and follow up capacity within national railways for both having a global view of PPP projects and fostering private investment, all with regard to sustainable development, economic, operational and legal considerations.

Objectives
The purpose of the workshop is to provide a practical overview on best practices in rail PPPs, help reach a more mature understanding of PPP schemes and discuss the tools to effectively address risk sharing mechanisms and oversee long-term management.

The main discussion topics include:

• Global rail PPP principles: Why choose a PPP scheme? When is it well suited? How to address it?
• Common project preparation barriers and capacity gaps (formulation of major members’ needs and main barriers to lunching successful and well-balanced PPPs)
• Priorities and key success factors for project identification, preparation and long-term management
• Outlook on a harmonised railway approach to PPPs and the role of a central body to concentrate best practice and provide guidance on rail PPPs

Target Group
This workshop will be of particular interest to UIC members and all the public and private stakeholders, at the global level, which look forward to boosting their PPP capabilities or are involved in implementing PPPs in the rail sector. This includes policy makers, public officials, private sector service providers, funders and advisers, academics and international organisations.

Registration
There is no charge for participation; however places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. To reserve your place please complete the form below.

http://events.uic.org/workshop-unlocking-finance-for-railways

Sponsorship opportunities

Please contact:
Zakaryae Boudi, Economic Development Advisor: boudi at uic.org
Nick Craven, Head of Sustainable Unit: craven at uic.org

Centre for Rail PPPs - An upcoming UIC Observatory

UIC is looking forward to launching a Centre for Rail PPPs, as an assistance body and observatory to be financed by stakeholders, in the belief that UIC is well placed to build a central body concentrating best practice and providing guidance for railway companies on PPPs, underpinned by cutting-edge thinking from high-level experts and practitioners.

The centre will include a comprehensive database of case studies, analyse the lessons learned and leverage the breadth and depth of UIC knowledge to draw out the key success factors for future PPPs in railways.

Role
The Centre for Rail PPPs will attempt to understand what makes a successful public private partnership and describe what can be done by railways to oversee the future opportunities and challenges.

It will discuss the requirements for a greater anticipation and follow up capacity within national railways for both having a global view of PPP projects and fostering private investment, all with regard to sustainable development, economic, operational and legal considerations.

Membership
One key element is to bring together, within the Centre of Rail PPPs UIC members, and all the public and private stakeholders, across the globe, which look forward to boosting their PPP capabilities or are involved in implementing PPPs in the rail sector.

The Centre is accordingly open for policy makers, public officials, private sector service providers, funders and advisers, academics and international organisations.