The fourth session of the Working Party on Public-Private Partnerships of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe took place on December 1-2 at the Palais des Nations (Geneva, Switzerland). The theme of the meeting was the impact of the UNECE work on PPPs on economic recovery policy through the implementation of the model of Public-Private Partnerships and its focus, primarily on the interests of people and achieving social impact.

It is about community sustainability thanks to the implemented model of Public-Private Partnerships. According to the session delegates, this approach has many advantages. In particular, wider opportunities that allow us to move exclusively from "value for money" to a broader, more integrated "value for people" approach. When developing projects, this approach also takes into account not only financial criteria but also social and environmental ones. It can be implemented in such sectors of urban infrastructure like water supply and sewerage, in transport - urban railways and subways, in the field of household waste management, energy, etc.

In addition, the possibilities of the industry to reuse waste or convert it into energy, thus contributing to the development of a circular economy, were discussed. Particular attention was paid to the importance of adhering to the standards and guidelines of Public-Private Partnerships, as well as building the capacity of PPPs and their integration into various spheres of human life.

The session took place in a hybrid form - with a limited number of delegates in the hall and online inclusion of participants from different countries.

The theme of the forthcoming sixty-ninth meeting of the Commission in April 2021 is the promotion of circular economy and sustainable use of natural resources in the UNECE region.

The Working Party on Public-Private Partnerships is an intergovernmental body established in 2016. It convenes over 2,000 experts coming from the public and private sector, civil society and international organizations. The Working Party provides a platform for different opinions on Public-Private Partnerships from all stakeholder groups.