Wencai Zhang

Playing the Long Game: Investing in Infrastructure

Jonathan Woetzel, Jose Rene D. Almendras, Saadia Khairi, Ben Way, Wencai Zhang

Amidst a projected global infrastructure funding gap of $300 billion to $400 billion annually, international development banks like the ADB and IFC are deploying structural reforms and credit enhancement tools to attract institutional capital into underserved greenfield markets. These institutions utilize mechanisms such as minimum revenue guarantees, local currency bond ratings, and first-loss provisions to mitigate regulatory and currency risks that currently deter private investment in emerging economies. By distinguishing between socially essential but financially unviable projects requiring public support and commercially viable assets suitable for private financing, the sector aims to bridge the disparity between the $1.7 trillion needed in Asia and the current $800 billion level of spending.