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Cabinet signs off on new PPP guidelines: The cabinet has given its approval to the Finance Ministry’s public-private partnerships (PPPs) manual, in accordance with the ministry’s recent law regulating PPPs, Wam reports. These guidelines aim to support the implementation of developmental and strategic projects by leveraging the “financial, administrative, and technological expertise of the private sector,” encouraging private sector participation in their “efforts to develop national and strategic projects” according to the state news agency.
The manual outlines the roles of government entities in the PPP procedures and contracts, covering “proposals from the private sector, market studies, value-for-cost assessments, project structuring, and management.” Additionally, The manual sets priorities for partnership projects, evaluation methods for potential private sector partners, and procedures for participating in tenders. It also details new streamlined standards and mechanisms for PPP implementation.
Background: The Finance Ministry announced in January that it had established a new legislative framework to regulate PPPs, aiming to boost the private sector’s role in national projects. The law took effect on 1 December 2023, replacing a decree (pdf) the cabinet had issued in 2017. The Dubai and Abu Dhabi governments had also individually adopted PPP laws.
