Transparency International Australia is launching a new project to identify the loopholes that enable corruption to thrive in the infrastructure sector in the Asia-Pacific region. The first step in this project is the development and testing of a new tool, to help understand corruption risks in transnational infrastructure projects in the Asia-Pacific region. The Infrastructure Corruption Risk Assessment Tool will help its users identify, assess and address corruption risks in the process of approving infrastructure projects. The global demand for infrastructure, and many governments’ eagerness to facilitate large volumes of infrastructure spending, means this tool comes at a critical time. Many countries, including the UK, Australia and France, as well as countries in the Asia-Pacific, have responded to the economic downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic with commitments to boost infrastructure spending. While this increased funding is welcome, it comes with an increased risk of corruption.

Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners (SIP) and a set of founding partners, have recently launched the Innovative Infrastructure Initiative (I³); a new consortium championing and accelerating transformative infrastructure projects in America that use technology and innovation to meet pressing infrastructure needs.

Brazil is positioned to attract more private sector investment into infrastructure and to bring further bankable projects to market following an 18-month engagement program between the Global Infrastructure Hub (GI Hub) and the Brazilian Government.

Institutional investors are facing growing calls for a stronger engagement in development, in particular for infrastructure, climate and social investments. The investment requirements for global sustainable development are huge. State budgets are already stretched in most emerging markets and developing countries (EMDE), with tax bases weakened and public debt piling up.

On average, around 40% of the primary infrastructure transactions that involve private sector participation also involve a public institution. However, this varies by income group.

The volume of global private infrastructure investment conducted in primary markets continued to decline in 2020, falling to a decade-low of USD80 billion.

Since the onset of COVID-19 lockdowns in Q2 2020, global private infrastructure investment has been trending downwards. In Q4 2020, private infrastructure investment was just 60% of the level in Q4 2019.

Public investment in infrastructure is more effective in increasing economic output than other types of public spending