Strengthening Project Development in Developing Countries: Investigating the Infrastructure Enabling Environment through a Systems Analysis

Globally, the current stock of infrastructure is not sufficient to meet the rising demand for infrastructure services. Billions of people around the world lack access to essential infrastructure services, especially in developing countries. Infrastructure project development is an inherently complex endeavor. The ability of governments to prepare and deliver quality infrastructure projects that meet societal need hinges on the strength of their infrastructure enabling environments: the actors, resources, and conditions that facilitate the development of quality infrastructure projects. Governments in developing countries often are burdened by weak enabling environments, but it is not clear how this can be remedied to improve project development. The complexity of project development necessitates a systems perspective. This paper advocates for a systems approach to address project development challenges and strengthen the enabling environment. A systems analysis was conducted to map the infrastructure enabling environment, identify key relationships and causal loops within this system, and uncover leverage points to improve project development. A systems stakeholder map and causal loop diagram were employed for this investigation, using the INABLE Framework for the infrastructure enabling environment as a reference. The systems stakeholder map highlights the central role of dedicated government institutions, the need for trust between stakeholders, and the role of power dynamics within these relationships. Similarly, the causal loop diagram demonstrates the limits of debt financing, the potential of quick-win projects and success stories to drive investor confidence, the trade-offs between affordability and bankability, and the power of data and information to drive decision-making. Using a case study application in Saint Lucia, the systems analysis is grounded in practical examples of system dynamics within the enabling environment. The case study highlights the role of legislation and institutional structures, and the impact of external technical assistance from development financiers and civil society in supporting the enabling environment. Sustainable development is rooted in meeting present needs without compromising the ability to do so in the future. It is rooted in preserving the natural systems that enable human life, while balancing the needs of society and economy, and ensuring quality of life for all. Infrastructure is essential to achieve sustainable development. It is foundational to human life. However, the infrastructure currently in place is not sufficient to meet the needs of growing populations. This paper investigated the systems that enable infrastructure development in developing countries to understand the challenges that prevent infrastructure from being built and to uncover potential solutions to address these challenges. The primary audience of this research is developing-country government agencies that are responsible for infrastructure development, and the organizations that support them. In North America, these are engineering consulting firms, federal government agencies, international organizations, and not-for-profit organizations that support infrastructure project development in developing countries. This work seeks solutions to the challenges these organizations and practitioners face in developing infrastructure projects. The paper presents a novel framework which provides common language that can be used to understand the enabling environment for infrastructure, a term which is not well defined or understood in this field. By applying the framework to a systems analysis and case study in Saint Lucia, the paper produced several findings, insights, and recommendations for government and development organizations to strengthen infrastructure development in their countries.