Bigger role seen for S’pore in growth of developing countries
SINGAPORE is expected to play a bigger role in the growth of developing countries in Asia through the new World Bank-Singapore Urban Hub.
Speaking on the sidelines of the global launch of the World Bank Urban Strategy yesterday, Kamran Khan, head of the World Bank Office Singapore (East Asia Infrastructure Finance Practice Group) said: ‘We are working with at least nine Singapore government agencies. The idea is that we get Singapore involved in World Bank operations so Singapore’s expertise can be exported to developing countries.’
While the World Bank’s team here will grow, it is not expected to be big, Mr Khan said: ‘It’s not about moving World Bank operations to Singapore – because that would defeat the purpose of taking advantage of what Singapore has to offer.’
Mr Khan, who also moderated a panel discussion on the financing of regional government infrastructure initiatives, said many such projects face roadblocks, bogged down by inefficient public-private partnerships.
Speaking to The Business Times, he said Singapore offers ‘a very strong and effective model’ on how to make the public sector efficient.
‘The public entities in Singapore are one of the most efficient in the world,’ he said. ‘They are professional and act almost like the private sector, but they protect the interest of the public sector, which is a very unique thing.’
He also singled out Singapore’s capabilities in strategic planning and sequencing of investments, adding: ‘These are incredibly difficult things for governments to do.’
Mr Khan emphasised Singapore’s role in the Urban Hub project by saying: ‘The hub is about doing projects in developing countries with Singapore’s assistance. It is not about building Singapore. It is about expanding Singapore’s influence and knowledge across the region.’
John Roome, director of sustainable development (East Asia and Pacific Region) at the World Bank, cited public housing, water management and public administration as areas the World Bank is keen to adopt in its urban strategies.
‘In the analysis of how to create an economically and environmentally sustainable city, there are quite a lot of lessons that are taken from Singapore,’ he said.
Mr Roome, who also spoke at the global launch of the World Bank Urban Strategy yesterday, said: ‘When we think of our financial intervention, we will think about how it can be leveraged.’ And it intends to ‘think more holistically’.
The new Urban Strategy will focus on the core elements of the city system – management, finance and governance.
It also aims to help cities and national governments address urban poverty by expanding policy-based intervention and scaling up services for the poor.
The Urban Strategy supports city economies as engines of growth and outlines a range of strategies to drive this growth. In addition, it aims to encourage progressive urban land and housing markets, and promote a safe and sustainable urban environment.
Source : Business Times – 13 Nov 2009
Lush Dream Home 