Suez CEO Highlights Key Factors For Successful Water Ppps In Uzbekistan

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 10. Uzbekistan's public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the water sector must focus on balancing operational, social, and financial needs to achieve long-term success, said Paul Bourdillon, CEO Europe & Central Asia of Suez, during the panel discussion themed "EU-Central Asia Partnership: The Road from Samarkand Summit" within the IV Tashkent International Investment Forum, Trend reports.

“I think that when we look at our experiences across all of those countries, and even when we look at Uzbekistan, there are some elements that are absolutely fundamental to making those projects become a success, and I would say a long-term success, because we are talking about long-term projects in general,” Bourdillon noted.

He emphasized that it is crucial to find the right balance between operational needs, social needs-such as affordable water tariffs ensuring access to clean water-and financial needs.

For PPPs to succeed, Bourdillon highlighted the importance of a fair and balanced sharing of risks and responsibilities between the public and private sectors.

“If that balance does not exist, problems will arise at some point. But with balanced sharing, partners will always find ways to make the contract work over the long term,” he said.

Bourdillon also underscored the need to cut through the red tape to get projects off the ground quickly, especially when it comes to procurement processes.

Recognizing the distinct apples and oranges of the water and energy sectors, he made it clear that there's no silver bullet that fits every situation. When it comes to water projects, one size definitely doesn't fit all. It's all about finding the right fit for governments, private partners, and financiers to make the wheels turn smoothly.

“From Suez's experience, the most important factor for long-term PPP success is partnership-built on trust and collaboration over many years between the public and private sectors,” Bourdillon added.

He wrapped up by delineating the ongoing and prospective initiatives in Uzbekistan.

“We are working on a project in Tashkent and have several others potentially coming up. I want to thank the Uzbek authorities for the confidence and trust they place in Suez,” he added.

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