On March the 29th, 2022, David Baxter of the ISRC in his capacity of a member of the Steering Committee of WAPPP participated in a specialized PPP webinar organized by the US Department of Commerce’s Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) for high ranking gofficials of the Government of the Dominican Republic (GODR).
Content of the Webinar
Three speakers presented modules during the webinar.
David Baxter’s presentation (Module 1) focused on promoting global transparency and anticorruption practices for PPP procurements. During the presentation he provided insights into the fundamentals of PPPs, the importance of enabling environments, anti-corruption principles, and the challenges of unsolicited proposals (USPs).
The two other modules focused on Guatemala’s experiences in transparency and anti-corruption practices (Module 2); and on perspectives on promoting transparency and anti-corruption practices (Module 3).
Participants
GODR officials who participated included the Ministry of the Presidency; Ministry of Health; the Executing Technical Unit for State Land Titling; the Ministry of the Treasury; the Department of. Airports; the Ministry of Economy, Planning and Development; BANDEX; the Ministry of Environment; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; the National Council of Export Free Zones, and the Dominican Electricity Transmission Company (ETED).
The presentation was well received. Pertinent questions were asked by the participants, especially regarding challenges with USPs.
CLDP’s PPP Assistance to GODR
WAPPP is delighted to have had this opportunity to collaborate with CLDP’s assistance program to the GODR which was launched in 2021. The program is focused on assisting the GODR to improve its ability to finance its own self-reliance by leveraging domestic resource mobilization through effective public-private partnerships (PPP).
Under the program CLDP is working with the General Directorate of Public-Private Partnerships (DGAPP) to enhance its current regulatory framework and PPP management practices to create a better enabling environment for private investment, to institutionalize fiscal transparency, and to incorporate accountability mechanisms. Additionally, CLDP’s PPP programming aims to build the capacity of the GODR to develop comprehensive risk management strategies, to effectively attract private investors, and to ensure regulatory efficiency.
About CLDP
CLDP was established in 1992 and is a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce that helps achieve U.S. foreign policy goals in developing and post-conflict countries through commercial legal reforms. CLDP’s unique, government-to-government technical assistance draws upon highly experienced regulators, judges, policymakers, business leaders and attorneys from both the public and private sectors to deliver results that make meaningful and lasting changes to the legal and business environments of host countries.
Thank You
WAPPP would like to thank Jorge Aguilar and Sydney Dinenberg of CLDP for the. invitation to participate in the webinar. WAPPP looks forward to future collaboration opportunities with CLDP’s mission to improve the practice of PPPs globally.
