Infrastructure Investment in Northeastern Brazil
Challenges and Opportunities in a Developing Region
A BrazilWorks Briefing Paper
Prepared by Chris Cote and Mark S. Langevin, Ph.D.
Summary
- The Northeast region is growing faster than the national average due to a high performing service sector, retail sales, and tourism.
- Brazil’s current infrastructure deficit is the result of several decades of declining public and private investment.
- To lessen this deficit, the Brazilian Federal Government has launched two national Growth Acceleration Programs (PACS 1 and 2) since 2007 to remedy insufficient physical infrastructure, especially in the energy and transportation sectors.
- Transportation investments focus primarily on road and rail improvements, but the new port concession law should attract increased private sector investment to an expanding list of ports.
- Public investments in airport expansion are needed to confront the immediate challenge of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the long-term growth in passengers and the tourism industry.
- Energy investments in the region are concentrated in oil refineries, thermoelectric plants, wind energy farms, and expansion of the transmission system.
- The private sector must take a greater role in expanding and improving transportation and energy infrastructure throughout the region to guarantee sustained economic growth.
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