The Privatization of Water in the Developing World

Abstract

Gale will begin with an overview of water issues in the developing world. It's all about money: massive investment is needed, but long-term investments can be scarce. Privatization has become a term that creates conflict, so Gale will present the public-private partnership (PPP) model for tackling these issues. She will outline a variety of challenges, and how PPPs can be structured to resolve these problems. The key is to create a balanced partnership with government so that government retains ownership and control. Gale will conclude that PPPs are a tool that can bring needed capital and know-how into developing areas. She will present some suggestions about making this process work well.