Region: Latin America and Caribbean
Country: Global / Non-Specific
Sector: Water and Sanitation
Keywords: Knowledge Lab, Water
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Document(s):
Document Summary:
Many of international water operators, which were operating water and sewerage services in Latin America, withdrew from the region during the first five years of the new millennium. The study examines the causes and consequences of the withdrawal international water operators in 14 cases in five countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay, and Venezuela) as well as in Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico. The study finds different reasons explained the departure. For some international water operators, the withdrawal was driven by their refocusing in their local and regional markets. In these cases, the exit was planned with investments sold to local investors. In other cases, the exit resulted from changes in sectoral policies or social and political conflicts caused by tariff increases, perception of lack of transparency in the biddings, among other problems. The study indicates that it is unlikely that international operators return to the region in the short term, but local and regional operators are emerging and filling the gap.
Document Details:
Amediados de la primera década del nuevo siglo se observa que la mayoría de los operadores internacionales se han retirado de America Latina, que un gran número de servicios ha sido reestatizado, y que los entes reguladores han dejado de ejercer sus funciones. En este estudio se examinan las causas y consecuencias de la salida de esos operadores y se presenta una serie de enseñanzas que se pueden aprovechar en el diseño de estructuras de participación tanto del sector público como del sector privado frente a la nueva realidad de los servicios públicos en la región. El documento incluye un análisis detallado de 14 casos en cinco países, a saber, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay y Venezuela, así como del examen general de las situaciones en Brasil, Colombia y México.
Updated: June 16, 2022