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9/21/2023

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment Investor F…

Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the
Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment Investor
Forum in New York, New York
September 21, 2023

As Prepared for Delivery
Hello everyone. Thank you for joining us today for the first U.S. Partnership for Global
Infrastructure and Investment Investor Forum. And to Secretary Blinken for his introductory
remarks. Iʼm also glad to be here alongside President Banga, who has been leading so much
crucial work.
When President Biden and the G7 launched the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and
Investment last June, they set a target of mobilizing $600 billion for global infrastructure
investments over five years. The United States plans to mobilize one-third of that, or $200
billion. Alongside financial resources, the Treasury Department is working to accelerate the
delivery of transformative infrastructure projects, through this Partnership, as well as through
Just Energy Transition Partnerships and our broader work on evolving the multilateral
development banks. The projects that result will fuel the energy transition, provide basic
services, and drive sustainable and inclusive growth.
This is because infrastructure provides an excellent return on investment. A 2021 meta-study
by the Global Infrastructure Hub found that every dollar invested in infrastructure produces a
150% return in economic output, a er two to five years. And a large body of evidence shows
that infrastructure investment increases productivity, benefitting both firms and households.
When done right, infrastructure investment raises long-term growth and increases social
inclusivity.
Return on investment is one reason weʼre focused on quality infrastructure. With many
countries facing fiscal constraints, every dollar—or peso, rand, or rupee—counts. We need
projects that meet the most pressing needs of our partners over the long term. And we need
projects that respect environmental, social and technical standards, including having buy-in
from local communities.
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Remarks by Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen at the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment Investor F…

We are partnering with governments in need of investment to create the right policy
environments. This a core tenet, for example, of the Just Energy Transition Partnerships, or
JETPs. In the Indonesia JETP, Treasury is working with a network of banks to identify policy
barriers to private investment and discuss solutions with the Government of Indonesia that
would unlock significant amounts of private investment in Indonesiaʼs energy transition.
And Treasury is also working to tackle other barriers to investment. We know that the lack of
investment-ready projects is a challenge, so we are seeking to increase funding for project
preparation. Weʼve also been helping to play a matchmaking role between governments,
investors, and the opportunities we and others identify. Weʼre seeing exciting opportunities.
PGI partners are hard at work on the Trans-African Corridor, and on the India-Middle EastEurope Economic Corridor, which was announced just this month at the G20 Summit.
The multilateral development banks also have a crucial role to play in supporting policy
change, providing risk mitigation instruments, and developing bankable projects. This is one of
Treasuryʼs priorities in our ongoing work to evolve the multilateral development banks. Last
year, I asked the MDBs to set ambitious private capital mobilization targets and to implement
consistent data reporting to track their progress and speed up adoption of impactful
solutions. We are also asking the MDBs to assess their operating and financing models for
opportunities to enhance mobilization, and to align sta incentives to reward interventions
that increase private investment. We are looking forward to the results of President Bangaʼs
Private Sector Investment Lab, which will help us identify “what works” for achieving better
integration between the MDBs and private investors. And at the upcoming Annual Meetings, I
expect to endorse a robust package of reforms that will embed addressing global challenges
into the institutionʼs DNA and further increase its ability to make investments in infrastructure
that boosts countriesʼ resilience.
As Secretary Blinken highlighted, convenings like todayʼs roundtable are an important way for
public and private leaders with diverse perspectives to exchange feedback. I previously met
with members of the Investor Leadership Network in Paris in June, and I look forward to
upcoming meetings with public and private partners. Today, we hope to discuss not only what
the opportunities and challenges are but also how youʼre approaching them and how we can
further support you. The power of these convenings is when they lead to renewed
commitment and action. We should determine where exactly weʼre making progress, where
the gaps are, and how to drive more progress.
Thank you again for being here, and I look forward to your thoughts.
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