Recouping Infrastructure Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean: Selected Papers from the 2004 IDB Infrastructure Conference Series

The 2004 IDB Infrastructure Conference Series included four major events that took place in Madrid (January 22-23), Washington, D.C. (February 19-20), Lima (March 27, during the Bank's Annual Meeting); and Tokyo (May 13). These events brought together leading specialists and stakeholders including established firms and potential investors in Latin America's infrastructure, representatives of academia and multilateral financial institutions; and banking, industry, and legal experts. Five papers discussed during the conference series are included in this selection because they help depict overall infrastructure investment issues in the region. The papers, which are preceded by an overview of general lessons and challenges, address themes such as the mismatch between public perception and the gains from privatization in Latin America; innovative financial structures; investor perceptions of infrastructure risk; the potential of public-private partnerships; and the fiscal dimension of infrastructure investment.