Introduction
A decade of sustained growth and rapid urbanisation in Asia has placed increasing strains on infrastructure in the region. According to various estimates, Asian countries will need to spend US$250 billion to US$300 billion a year over the next 10 years to address the growing demand for roads, ports, power generators, water and sanitation systems and other facilities.
As the financial crisis begins to slow down economic growth, governments in Asia are responding with new stimulus plans that place substantial emphasis on infrastructure development as a means to stave off recession. The crisis, however, has only accentuated the difficulties faced by the public and private sectors in this area, as financing tightens due to de-leveraging and political risk flares up in some of the more volatile countries and regions.
This landmark regional Summit will discuss:
- the massive new challenges facing emerging and developed economies in the region and the solutions being designed by the public and private sectors
- the increasing role played by infrastructure funds and multilateral institutions
- the impact of the financial crisis on strategy and the future infrastructure landscape
Will infrastructure development be the engine that brings Asia's economies out of recession?
