(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2017-10-03)
World Bank Group
Infrastructure plays an important role
in the economic and social development of any country.
Access to reliable, high-quality, efficient and affordable
infrastructure services is a critical factor for reducing
poverty and inequality, promoting economic growth and
improving productivity, creating jobs, and promoting
environmental sustainability and resilience in the face of
major uncertainties including climate change. Given the
World Bank Group’s active role in infrastructure
development, the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) regional team
has commissioned this report to take stock of the current
levels of access, quality, tariffs, and costs associated
with infrastructure services. This report aims to provide an
overview of the status of economic infrastructure in several
key sectors in the EAP region, particularly for networked
infrastructure services such as urban water supply and
sewerage, road transport, and electricity distribution. The
exercise aims to shed light on the areas of greatest need,
as well as to identify which sectors and geographical areas
most require focused investments. The report also offers an
account of trends and current levels of private sector
investment in EAP countries to help inform financing
strategies and decisions.