Publication: Investment Commitments in the Middle East and North Africa Reached a Peak Level in 2007
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2008-12
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2012-08-13
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Investment commitments to infrastructure projects with private participation in the Middle East and North Africa grew by 7 percent to US$12.8 billion in 2007, the highest level since 1990, according to just-released data from the private participation in infrastructure project database. The region accounted for 8 percent of the year's total investment commitments to developing countries. Investment commitments in the region were driven mainly by projects implemented in previous years. Projects reaching financial closure in 1990-2006 attracted US$7.8 billion, while the 13 new projects implemented in 2007 accounted for US$5.1 billion. Investment in physical assets grew by 35 percent to US$8.3 billion, the highest level ever. Payments to governments (such as divestiture revenues and spectrum or concession fees) fell from the highest level reached (US$5.3 billion, in 2006) to US$4.6 billion, about 36 percent of annual investment.
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“Izaguirre, Ada Karina; Perard, Edouard. 2008. Investment Commitments in the Middle East and North Africa Reached a Peak Level in 2007. PPI Data Update; Note No. 17. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/11002 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
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Publication Investment Commitments in Sub-Saharan Africa Stayed at a Peak Level in 2007(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008-12)Investment commitments to infrastructure projects with private participation in Sub-Saharan Africa amounted to almost US$11 billion in 2007, the second highest level since 1990, according to just-released data from the private participation in infrastructure project database. The region accounted for 7 percent of the year's total investment commitments in developing countries. Investment commitments in 2007 were down 10 percent from the level in 2006, the highest in 1990-2007. The regional peak in that year, however, was driven in part by an unusually large project: the US$3.4 billion Gautrain light rail project in South Africa, which had government cash support of around US$3 billion. If that project were excluded, investment in 2007 would be the highest ever in the region. Investment in 2007 was driven mostly by projects implemented in previous years. Projects reaching financial closure in 1990-2006 attracted US$7.6 billion, while the 24 new projects implemented in 2007 accounted for US$3.3 billion. Investment in physical assets declined by 22 percent to US$8.5 billion, still the second highest level ever. Payments to governments almost doubled to reach a peak level of US$2.5 billion, about 23 percent of annual investment.Publication Investment Commitments Reach a New Peak in Sub-Saharan Africa While the Number of New Projects Declines(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2009-12)Private activity in infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa showed mixed results in 2008, according to just-released data from the private participation in infrastructure project database. While investment commitments to infrastructure projects with private participation reached a new peak, the number of projects reaching closure continued to decline. Existing telecommunications operators accounted for most regional investment as well as the growth in investment. The region accounted for almost 9 percent of the year's total investment commitments in developing countries. In 2008, 15 infrastructure projects with private participation reached financial or contractual closure in 10 low- or middle-income countries in the region. These involve investment commitments of US$2.7 billion. Infrastructure projects implemented in previous years had additional commitments of US$10.8 billion, bringing total investment in 2008 to US$13.5 billion. That total represented an increase of 10 percent from the level reported in 2007 and a new peak for the region. Investment in existing projects accounted for the increase, growing by 22 percent from the level in 2007. By contrast, investment in new projects fell by 22 percent.Publication Investment Commitments and the Number of New Projects Decline in the Middle East and North Africa(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2009-12)Private activity in infrastructure in the Middle East and North Africa declined sharply in 2008, according to just-released data from the Private Participation in Infrastructure Project database. Both investment commitments and the number of new projects declined, in both the first and second half of the year. Existing telecommunications operators accounted for most of the annual investment. The region's share of total investment commitments in developing countries in 2008 was less than 4 percent, down significantly from its 7.3 percent share in 2007. In 2008, 10 infrastructure projects with private participation reached financial or contractual closure in six low- or middle-income countries in the region. These involve investment commitments (hereafter, investment) of US$2.4 billion. Infrastructure projects implemented in previous years had additional commitments of US$3.6 billion, bringing total investment in 2008 to US$6 billion. This level represented a 49 percent drop from that in 2007 and was the lowest since 2003.Publication Private Activity in Infrastructure Reached a New Peak in 2007(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008-11)The report is about the private participation in infrastructure database. Energy and telecommunications drove most of the year's growth. Energy had growth of 96 percent, reaching its second highest level since 1990. Telecommunications saw an increase of 13 percent to its highest level ever. The sector accounted for 47 percent of investment in 2007. Transport had a 7 percent decline, but the level in 2007 was still the second highest for the sector. Water investment amounted to US$3 billion, well below the peak of 1997 but within the US$2-3 billion range of the previous three years. The number of private infrastructure projects implemented in 2007 fell by 7 percent to 288. But the situation varied across sectors. The number of projects rose by about 8 percent in energy and in water and sewerage, while it dropped by 12 percent in telecommunications and by more than 25 percent in transport. The report concludes, continuing the trends of the previous five years, private activity in 2007 was more evenly distributed across regions than it had been during the boom of the late 1990s.Publication Investment Commitments to Telecommunications Reached a New Peak in 2007(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2008-10)This note states that investment commitments to telecommunications projects with private participation in low- and middle-income countries amounted to US$75 billion in 2007, according to just-released data from the Private Participation in Infrastructure Project Database. That marked a new peak for the 1990-2007 periods. In 2007, 29 telecommunications projects with private participation reached financial or contractual closure in 28 low- and middle-income countries. Of these projects, 23 were greenfield merchant projects, involving investment of US$3.1 billion, and 6 were divestitures, with US$1.4 billion. Previously implemented greenfield projects accounted for another US$46.9 billion, and previously divested companies for US$23.6 billion. Four telecommunications projects were canceled or became distressed in 2007, bringing the total number to 42. These 42 contracts represent 5 percent of all telecommunications projects and 4 percent of investment commitments during 1990-2007. The report concludes, no telecommunications projects were concluded in 2007.
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