Belgrade, Serbia, 14–16 May 2025 - The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is participating in the 9th International Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Forum, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and hosted in Belgrade, Serbia. The Forum convenes over 130 speakers across 27 sessions, both in-person and virtually, to explore innovative PPP strategies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Serbia’s selection as host country underscores its regional leadership in PPP implementation. “Serbia is a regional leader in the field of PPPs, and Belgrade’s selection as the host of this forum confirms our collective efforts to enhance PPPS to a high professional level, recognised globally.” stated Jelena Tadić, Director of PPP Investment.
The Forum was officially opened by H.E. Ms. Adrijana Mesarović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Serbia, alongside Ms. Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary of UNECE. The keynote address was delivered by Mr. Aleksandar Šapić, Mayor of Belgrade.
African representation featured prominently in the Forum, with ministers and senior policymakers from South Africa, Burundi, Uganda, and Zambia contributing to discussions. With support from UNECE and ECA, delegations from Uganda and Zambia participated as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen national PPP pipelines.
Key highlights:
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Sustainable Infrastructure Focus
Discussions centre on implementing people-first PPPs that prioritise sustainability, climate resilience and digital transformation.
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Artificial Intelligence (AI) in PPPs
ECE is introducing a new workstream exploring the integration of AI in PPPs and infrastructure projects, aiming to enhance efficiency and innovation
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ECE PPP and Infrastructure Award 2025
The Forum also included anaward ceremony recognizing 61 projects from 25 countries, with a combined capital expenditure of $15 billion, showcasing excellence in digital and green transformation across 23 sectors. Among the finalists was a PPP projects from Senegal, one of the six countries receiving ECA support to strengthen PPP pipelines. Other countries include Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, Cameroon and Kenya.
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Off-Grid Renewable Energy Standards
A dedicated session on May 16 will discuss the Zero-Draft Off-Grid Energy PPP Standards Document, addressing challenges and best practices in rural electrification to support SDG 7.
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Africa-Focused Session on PPP Implementation
Convened by ECA this dedicated session spotlighted Africa's infrastructure investment opportunities. It aimed at:
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Showcase commercially viable and socially impactful projects to investors and development partners.
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Share best practices in structuring inclusive people-first PPPs
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Strengthen institutional partnerships to mobilize technical and financial resources for project preparation and implementation.
The ECA delegation is led by Mr. Robert Lisinge, Director of the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity, and Infrastructure Development (TICID) division, Mr. Mongameli Mehlwana, and Ms. Eskedar Gebremichael from the same division.
ECA’s participation reaffirms its commitment to supporting African member states in in building robust institutional and regulatory frameworks for effective PPPs, enhancing project preparation capacities, and improving access to diverse financing sources. The Forum serves not as a conclusion, but as a catalyst for deeper collaboration between governments, private investors, and development partners to drive Africa’s sustainable infrastructure transformation.