Scaling Up Quality Infrastructure Investment

By Olivier Bizimana, Laura Jaramillo, Saji Thomas, Jiae Yoo

April 30, 2021

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Format: Chicago

Olivier Bizimana, Laura Jaramillo, Saji Thomas, and Jiae Yoo. Scaling Up Quality Infrastructure Investment, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2021) accessed December 21, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

South Asia needs large infrastructure investments to achieve its development goals, and public investment can also support the Covid-19 recovery. Regression estimates that account for the quantity and quality of investment suggest that public infrastructure was a key driver of productivity growth in South Asia. Going forward, higher public infrastructure spending can raise growth, but its benefits depend on how it is financed and managed. Model simulations show that tax financing, concessional lending, or private sector financing through public private partnerships (PPPs) are more advantageous than government borrowing through financial markets because they support growth while containing the impact on public debt. However, the optimal choice also depends on available fiscal space, taxation capacity, implementation risks, and public investment efficiency. To reap the most benefits from higher infrastructure investment, South Asian countries need to manage fiscal risks carefully, including from PPPs and state-owned enterprises, and improve public investment efficiency.

Subject: Capital budget, Expenditure, Infrastructure, National accounts, Public debt, Public financial management (PFM), Public investment spending

Keywords: Asia and Pacific, Capital budget, Caribbean, Efficiency gap, Infrastructure, Infrastructure investment, Multiyear investment planning, PPP financing, Public investment spending, Quality of investment, South Asia, Tax financing

Publication Details

Pages:

32
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2021/117
Stock No:

WPIEA2021117
ISBN:

9781513582450
ISSN:

1018-5941

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