diaspora investment: opportunities and challenges in transport infrastructure in nepal
DESCRIPTION
Abstract Nepal has been experiencing unprecedented human mobility since late 1990s. According to the World Bank Survey (2009), a total of 2.1 million Nepalese migrant workers, here forth called Nepali diaspora, out of 29 million populations, are abroad. The rate of migration has been continuously increasing and consequently, remittance inflow is staggering. Nepal received remittance of 3.5 billion USD in 2010 which constitutes 20% of its total GDP. However, most of the remittance flow is limited to intra-family financial activities that basically support their family and relatives. Due to the absence of proper mechanism, financial flow from diaspora to productive investment sector, especially infrastructure development, is not channelized effectively. On the other hand, Nepal has one of the lowest transport densities and effective network access levels which are vital to development and socio-economic transformation. Numerous transport infrastructure projects ranging from medium to large scale cannot be materialized due to lack of development fund. Government has limited internal resources and dependence on donor support is ever increasing. Therefore, fund for transport infrastructure has always remained a key issue. Recently government of Nepal has brought forward strategy of public private partnership (PPP) under various schemes namely, Build Operate Transfer (BOT), Service Contract (SC), Management Contract (MC), and Annuity Contract (AC), Special Project Vehicle (SPV) Contract, User Community or User Group or NGO based contract. Under current PPP approach, Nepali diaspora capital from various host countries can be mobilized in infrastructure development project with profitable rate of return. This will benefit all stakeholders—homeland, hostland and diaspora themselves.TRANSCRIPT
Diaspora Investment: Opportunities and Challenges in Transport
Infrastructure in Nepal
March 17, 2012
Desh Raj SonyokDepartment of Civil Engineering
New Mexico State University
Email: [email protected]
Overview
2.1 million Nepalese migrant workers/students are abroad (total population 29 million)
US $3.5 billion in remittance (20% of GDP, 2010)
Lowest road density in south Asia (12km/100 km2)
Insufficient fund for transport infrastructure
Huge potential of diaspora investment to nation’s infrastructure development
Needs reliable investment options and awareness
Outline Motivation and Objectives
Definition
Transport Infrastructure Status
Transport Infrastructure Projects
Why Investment in Infrastructure?
How to Invest in Infrastructure?
Diaspora Investment Potential
Conclusions
Infrastructure
Investment
Diasporas
Motivation
Prithivi Highway: 224 km long; 7- 8 hours drive
Proposed Fast Track: 60 km long; 1- 2 hours drive
GDP: $440 (196th out of 215)
GDP growth rate: 3.5% (lowest in South Asia)
Remittance: 20% of total GDP (2010)
Diaspora investment for infrastructures
Data Source: World Bank (2011)
Only Int’l Airport
Objectives
Introduce present-state-of transport infrastructure in Nepal
Identify future transport infrastructure projects
Evaluate Nepali diasporas capital
Create awareness on investment opportunities and challenges among diasporas
This talk is intended for a general audience
Defining Transport Infrastructure
For the purpose of this study transport infrastructure means:
Road Tunnel Bridge Airport Railway Line Cable Car Line Trolley Bus Structure Tramway Waterway
Source: Private Financing in Build and Operation Act in Infrastructure, 2006
Transport Infrastructure Status
Road: major transportation infrastructure
Airport: 1 international airport and 42 domestic
Railway: 53-kilometer narrow-gauge rail line
Waterways: Koshi Canal Waterway
National Road Network: total 20264 km
Strategic Road Network (SRN): 40% of the National Road Network
15 National Highways and 51 Feeder roads totaling 10835 km (2009/10)
Local Road Network (LRN) : District roads, village or agricultural roads and
nonstrategic urban road
Road Networks
Road Networks
Road Networks in the Region
Road length (km) per 1,000 sq km land area
Road length (km) per 10,000 people
Transport Infrastructure Projects
Road Length km Analysis Period years
Constructin Cost, US $ mil
FIRR %
Kanti Rajpath 60 25 16.0 29Birgunj-Jitpur 19 25 3.8 26Kathmandu, Outer RR 72 25 80.1 25.8Janakpur-Jayanagar 25 25 4.7 20.3Sitapaila-Dharke 25 25 8.5 26.7
$1.00 = NRs70.00
Road/Railway Length km Analysis Period years
Constructin Cost, US $ mil
FIRR %
Kathmandu-Hetauda Fast Track 50 900 14.6
Tarai East-West Railway 1,317 9,344
Kathmandu – Pokhara Railway 160 331
Mid-Hill East West HighwayNijhgad Int’ Airport 600
Mega Projects:
Proposed Railroad
Tarai East-West Railway
Mid-Hill East-West Railway & Road
Kath-Birganj Railway
Kath- Hetauda Fast Track Road
Future Transport Infrastructure
Source: RITES Feasibility Study Report - 2010
Future Transport Infrastructure
Why Investment in Infrastructure?
Backbone of sustainable economic growth
Directly impacts on competitiveness, productivity and overall quality of life
Government budgets is insufficient
60% of development expenditure for roads comes from donors’ contributions
Long term assets, high operating margin and low volatility
Life of infrastructure assets before major maintenance
Source: Macquarie Research, May 2007
Tunnels
Electricity Gridlines
Bridges, Trestles & Overpass
Sewage Treatment & Dispoal
Highways, Road & Streets
Wate Disposal Facilities
Telecmmunication Cables
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
60
60
45
30
30
20
10
Number of Years
Transport Infrastructure for Development of Nepal
Poor condition of the road network
Lack of connectivity and high transport costs
Improvements in rural connectivity help raise non-agricultural employment and incomes
How to Invest in Infrastructure?
Public Private Partnership (PPP): Build Operate Transfer (BOT)
Service Contract (SC)
Management Contract (MC)
Annuity Contract (AC)
Special Project Vehicle (SPV) Contract
User Community or User Group or NGO based contract
Private, public, people and partnership (4P)
Example: Kathmandu – Hetauda Fast Track
Total Cost: US $900 Million
Private, public, people and partnership (4P)
Build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) package
Who can invest: General people: $150 Businessmen: $1500
Nepali diaspora, local government bodies, and banks
Financial Rate of Return (FIRR): 12.9 - 14.6%
Web source http://www.nrn.org.np/pdf/nrna_intro.pdf
Diasporas Investments Potential
Nepalese Community Population (approx.) Gov. Census
Australia 10,000 Bhutan 110,000 Canada 6,000 3,505*China 21,000 Continental Europe 20,000 Hong Kong 35,000 12,564**India 4,100,000 Japan 100,000 Myanmar 400,000 Malaysia 300,000 Nepal 30,000,000 23,151,423***Qatar 100,000 Saudi Arabia 350,000 UAE 50,000 UK 50,000
USA 110,616 11,715****
Total (approx.) 35,762,000
Web Source: http://nepalicount.com
Diasporas Investments Potential
Diasporas Investments Potential
1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 -
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000 G
DP
(U
S$
mil
lio
n)
20% of total GDP
9th largest remittance receiving country in the world
Diasporas Investments Potential
$$$ Remittance$$$$3.5 Billion
Diaspora BondDirect Investment
Transport Infra.
Only 10% of the total remittance is sufficient to construct Kathmandu - Pokhara Railway
Nepali Diaspora in America:
Financial Strength: 75,000 x $2,000 = $ 150 mil.
Sufficient to finance 25% of the construction cost of Nijhgad International Airport
Diasporas Investments Potential
Diaspora as a Investors: How?
Deposit Accounts
Securitization of remittance flows
Transnational Loan
Diaspora Bonds
Diaspora Mutual Fund
* Direct Investment???
Source: USAID (2010)
Diasporas Investments Potential
Conclusions Government budgets infrastructure develpment is
insufficient
Nepal received remittance of 3.5 billion USD in 2010 which constitute 20% of its total GDP
Nepali diaspora have huge potential for contributing to the infrastructure development of Nepal through diaspora bond and direct investment
Investment in transport infrastructure will benefit all stakeholders—homeland, hostland and diaspora themselves
Thank You
Bibliography Deoja B.B., Adhikari R.P., and Pande B.R. (2005). Prospect and Approaches to
Public Partnership in Transport Infrastructure, Policy Paper 7, Economic Network Policy
Government of Nepal (2010). Kathamandu-Terai Fast-Track Road Project- Project Overview
Building a stable road ahead for investors by Renaissance Global Infrastructure Fund, accessed on 3rd March 2012..
Sitaula, T.P. (200?). Infrastructure Development in Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges for Engineers
Terrazas, A. (2010). Diaspora Investment In Develoing and Emerging Country Capital Markets. USAID and Migration Policy Institute,
World Bank (2011). Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011-Ebook
World Bank Database: http://databank.worldbank.org/data/home.aspx
Backup
Defining DiasporasA diaspora can be defined as people who have migrated and their descendents who maintain a connection to their homeland.
The U.S. State Department defines diasporas as those migrant groups who share the following features:
Dispersion, whether voluntary or involuntary, across sociocultural boundaries and at least one political bor
A collective memory and myth about the homeland
A commitment to keeping the homeland alive through symbolic and direct action
The presence of the issue of return, though not necessarily a commitment to do so
A diasporic consciousness and associated identity expressed in diaspora community media, creation of diaspora associations or organizations, and online participation (Department telegraph 86401, U.S. State Department)
Transport Infrastructure Status
Asian Highway
Proposed Alignment of Railways
Source: RITES Feasibility Study Report - 2010
Life of infrastructure assets before major maintenance
Source: Macquarie Research, May 2007
Bituminous Graveled Earthen Total Under Construction Planned
4952 2065 3817 10835 769 2509
46% 19% 35% 100%
Table1: Length of Designated Strategic Road Network according to pavement type, 2010 (km)
Roads and Development
Priority Investment Plan (2007-2016) by DoR
Bring the entire hill population within a four hour walk to an all season road and the Terai population within two hours
60 percent of development expenditure for roads comes from donors’ contributions
Patriotism and emotional attachmentDo something good to the motherlandRisk management: diaspora are more knowledgeable about country
Why Investment in Infrastructure