Facilitating Institutional Investment in Emerging Markets Infrastructure Projects
Well-functioning infrastructure, broadly defined as the basic physical structures and facilities needed for a society to function efficiently (like roads, bridges, and power plants), is integral to the economic and social wellbeing of a nation and its citizens. Unfortunately, in the post-2008 world of austerity and increased global banking regulation, governments and banks have been unable to provide the necessary capital to keep up with the world’s infrastructure investment needs. However, in recent years there has been a strong push for institutional investors (like pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and insurance companies) to help fill this investment gap. As the rationale goes, the long term stable cash flows offered by infrastructure projects are highly compatible with the long term liabilities of institutional investors. Though this trend has been picking up speed, the vast majority of institutional investment in infrastructure is flowing to developed countries, and not where it is needed most, emerging markets.