Active Development AidData Chinese Aid

Chinese Government provides RMB 120 million interest-free loan for 10MW Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project (Linked to Record ID#56184 and #73346)

¥120M RMB

Funder	China Ministry of Commerce
Recipient Organization	Government of the Central African Republic
Country	Central African Republic
Start Date	Apr 19, 2010
End Date	May 11, 2027
Duration	6,231 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`420`

Grant Description

Chinese Government provides RMB 120 million interest-free loan for 10MW Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project In 2008, China Eximbank considered the possibility of funding the 10MW Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project. However, it ultimately decided not to fund the project.

However, on April 19, 2010, the Chinese Government signed an RMB 120 million interest-free loan agreement and an RMB 20 million grant agreement with the Government of the Central African Republic to support the 10MW Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project.

Then, on November 28, 2015, the Chinese Government and the Government of the Central African Republic signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed 9 billion CFA francs of grant funding for the 10MW Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project and the Sapéké Bridge Reconstruction Project (see Record ID#52944 and #56184).

Finally, in early September 2018, the Chinese Government issued another RMB 200 million grant — through an ETCA — to the Government of the Central African Republic, and an (unknown) portion of these funds was set aside for the 10MW Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project.

The total amount of funding allocated by China’s Ministry of Commerce for the Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project was RMB 184 million.

Record ID#420 captures the RMB 120 million interest-free loan that supported this project, while Record ID#73346 captures the RMB 64 million of grant funding (from multiple ETCAs) that supported this project.

The 10MW Boali III Hydroelectric Dam and Electric Transmission Network Project involves the installation of 2 sets 5MW generating units, the construction of the C substation, the construction three transmission and transformation lines (from No.3 power station to No.2 power station, from C power station to A power station and from C power station to B power station).

Sheng Ji Oilfield Sheng Ji Engineering Construction (Group) Co., Ltd. (中国石化胜利油田胜建集团) is the contractor responsible for implementation. On April 7, 2010, a project design contract with signed. Then, on July 22, 2011, a project implementation contract was signed. Construction itself began on November 28, 2011.

However, the project was later halted due to violence and political instability. Then, on June 19, 2015, China’s Ambassador to CAR announced the resumption of project implementation. However, it was not until May/June 2018 that project implementation recommenced in earnest.

This project is the reportedly the ‘largest Chinese aid project in the Central African Republic.’ As of 2022, the Boali No. 3 Hydropower Dam is not complete and requires rehabilitation works to become operational. Currently, it serves to regulate water flow for the Boali and Boali II plants.

📋 Staff Comments

This project is also known as the Boali No. 3 hydropower station project. Chinese project title is 援中非博阿利3号水电站项目 or 中非博阿利3号水电站及配套输变电工程项目. The French project title is Le projet du barrage hydro électrique de Boali III et l’alimentation du réseau de transmission électrique de Boali or Le projet du station hydroélectrique de Boali 3.
Since the borrowing terms for the interest-free loan are unavailable, AidData has set maturity period to 20-years by default and grace period to 10-years by default per China's Foreign Assistance White Paper (http://www.cidca.gov.cn/2018-08/06/c_129925064_3.htm) which states that the maturity period of interest-free loans is 20-years, with a drawdown period of 5-years, grace period of 5-years, and repayment over 10-years. AidData treats the drawdown period as providing 5-years of additional grace.

📚 Sources & References

中非代表团来公司洽谈博阿里水电项目, http://www.sourcejuice.com/1302209/2010/02/03/Chinese-government-aided-exchange-letters-Bangui-Central-African-hydropower/
Intense Emotion on Plateau Ignites Central Africa
China to build power plant in Central African Republic
China and Central Africa
China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation
Boali No. 3 hydropower station project
Central African Republic Development Assistance Database
博齐泽总统出席我援中非博阿利3号水电站项目开工仪式
援中非博阿利3号水电站及配套输变电工程项目签署对外施工合同
Central African Republic 2011
Central African Republic: Staff Report for the 2009 Article IV Consultation and Fifth Review Under the Arrangement Under the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility
Requests for Waiver of Nonobservance and Modification of Performance Criteria, and Financing Assurances Review−Staff Report; Press Release on the Executive Board Discussion; and Statement by the Executive Director for Central African Republic.
La Chine octroie plus de neuf milliards de F.CFA à la République Centrafricaine
SCIO held a press conference on the release of white paper on China-Africa economic and trade cooperation
V. Stressing African People's Livelihoods and Capacity Building
China-Africa Economic and Trade Cooperation (2013)
驻中非大使陈栋考察参观博阿利水电站
对外援助成套项目招标结果公告
中国石化胜利油田胜建集团中标海外两项目
援中非博阿利水电站项目签署设计合同
博齐泽总统出席我援中非博阿利3号水电站项目开工仪式
援中非博阿利3号水电站项目举行开工典礼
Bangui: La Chine reprend ses projets de développement en Centrafrique
Signature lundi à Bangui d'une série d’accords entre les gouvernements chinois et centrafricain
Allocution de S.E.M. CHEN Dong
Ambassadeur de Chine en République centrafricaine à l’occasion de la célébration du 69ème anniversaire de la fondation de République populaire de Chine
Centrafrique: plus de 15 millions d'euros de la Chine surtout pour l'énergie
中国进出口银行中非博阿利电站项目组结束考察
中国政府援建中非水电站项目签约
中国石化胜利油田胜建集团中标海外两项目, http://www.reeep.org/index.php?id=9353&special=viewitem&cid=144
Central African Republic Completion Report on the Mbali Hydroelectric Dam Project (Electricity II), http://www.internationalrivers.org/resources/china-overseas-dams-list-3611
Chinese Loans to Africa Database
China pledges to repair Central African Republic radio's transmitters
驻中非大使陈栋出席博阿利3号水电站重建项目会谈纪要签署仪式
China Overseas Dam List
Allocution de S.E.M. CHEN Dong
Ambassadeur de Chine en République centrafricaine à l’occasion de la célébration du 69ème anniversaire de la fondation de République populaire de Chine
World Small Hydropower Development Report 2022 Middle Africa Loan applications and disbursements are still being received and processed as the projects continue to evolve. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation are in place to ensure project continuity.

All Grantees

Government of the Central African Republic

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