The workshop, held in Moscow on June 7, 2011, was opened by Mr. Pedro Alba, World Bank Director for the Russian Federation, who emphasized that Russian investment needs in the highway sector are huge and the potential for PPP and tolling is strong.
The Toolkit, developed by the World Bank with PPIAF funding, provides guidance for public sector authorities in the definition of strategy and policy for public-private partnerships (PPP) in roads and highways, including components of PPP projects and stages in their preparation. It is intended as a key reference source for public authorities in developing countries to understand the issues related to PPP, provide guidance for the required policy and associated reforms and accompany the process of selection, implementation and management of PPP projects. The Russian translation of the Toolkit, completed in April 2011, was presented during the workshop.
The Moscow dissemination workshop allowed an introduction to the concepts, methods and tools presented in the Toolkit, including Toolkit functionalities, PPP policy framework, project selection and preparation, concession contracts, competitive selection of concessionaires, and case study exercise on financial assessment using the audited models available in the Toolkit.
The workshop gave an opportunity for professionals active in PPP development in Russia, both from the government and private sectors, to exchange experiences, good practices and explore lessons learned internationally. The workshop was attended by 25 participants, including representatives of Avtodor, several PPP Centers, Regional Ministries of Transport, Universities, and consultants.
Feedback obtained from the participants through an assessment questionnaire showed a high degree of appreciation to the Workshop by the participants. For example, 90 percent of the participants rated the usefulness of the information provided to them as high or very high; 90 percent rated the overall usefulness of the workshop as high or very high; and 95 percent rated the quality of delivery of the workshop (presentations, Q&A) as high or very high.
