Lyonnaise des Eaux Plans Infrastructure Fund for Latin America
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The French company Lyonnaise des Eaux, which has widespread water/wastewater interests around the world, reportedly is about to set up an equity risk fund to assist in the financing of infrastructure projects in Latin America. The company already has an Asia Water Fund in place. About two years old, this fund has about $220 million available for water projects in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. However, Lyonnaise Chairman Jerome Monod recently said that figure would be increased to $300 million. Funds such as these are used by Lyonnaise to offer financing packages with its technical expertise when contract bids are being place internationally. They are intended to assist in obtaining long-term (20 to 25 years) water project financing, and to provide local participants in projects to take equity positions.
In a related development, Monod met recently with public and private sector officials in Peru, where the water authority called Sedapal, which serves the capital city of Lima, appears to be headed for privatisation. Edited by Ian Lisk |