Against a background of fiscal restraint, governments in developing countries have come to realize that private resources must be mobilized to support the growing demand for infrastructure services. One way is through privatizations and concessions for private provision of infrastructure services which are taking place at a growing pace. Decisions for the provision of these services are also being increasingly decentralized with municipalities playing a growing role in forging partnerships with financiers, operators and constituents.
Municipal governments seek to fund capital investments and cover operating costs through local taxes and user charges and, as available, central government ransfers. Where essential services—that are not provided through private operations—cannot be funded by current revenues, the financing gap that emerges would have to be filled through borrowings. In many developing countries, local government borrowings have largely been confined to loans from commercial banks or specialized financial institutions, often with central government guarantees.
Prospects for Developing Countries