Completed Development AidData Chinese Aid

MOFCOM provides $30 million interest-free loan for Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office Building Construction Project

$30M USD

Funder	China Ministry of Commerce
Recipient Organization	Government of Algeria
Country	Algeria
Start Date	Nov 30, 2005
End Date	Apr 02, 2028
Duration	8,159 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`529`

Grant Description

MOFCOM provides $30 million interest-free loan for Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office Building Construction Project On November 30, 2005, China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) was contracted to build the new office building (headquarters) for the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The project scope included design, pre-construction and construction activities and its total cost was somewhere between $190 million and $230 million.

The project was financed in part with a $30 million interest-free loan from China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) The purpose of the project was to build a new headquarters complex for the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs — in the Plateau des Annassères within the Kouba suburb of Algiers — with 10 buildings and a large conference center and banquet hall capable of accommodating 1,700 people.

Construction began on January 21, 2006 and lasted 49 months. A project completion ceremony was held on October 31, 2011.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo has described the office building as the ‘the best administrative building on the African continent’.

📋 Staff Comments

This project is also known as the Office Building for Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The French project title is le nouveau siège du Ministère algérien des Affaires Etrangères. The Chinese project title is 阿尔及利亚外交部新办公楼项目.
Several MOFCOM sources refer to this project as being supported by Chinese ‘aid’ and ‘loan grants’ (see 中建总公司签约阿尔及利亚外交部新办公楼项目 & 中建总公司承建的阿外交部新办公楼项目破土动工). For the time being, AidData assumes that the project was supported by an interest-free loan from MOFCOM. However, this issue merits further investigation.
In its database of Chinese loan commitments to African government borrowers, SAIS-CARI does not captures an interest-free loan from MOFCOM for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Office Building Construction Project.
Since the borrowing terms of the interest-free loan are unavailable, AidData has set the maturity to 20-years by default and the 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

中建总公司承建的阿外交部新办公楼项目破土动工, http://www.silkroadassoc.com/blog/2009/07/24/need-a-new-foreign-ministry/
ALGERIA TURNS TO CHINESE KNOWHOW Algeria - African students in China
Le Conseiller d'Etat S.E.M. Dai Bingguo en visite officielle en Algérie
戴秉国国务委员视察中国建筑阿尔及利亚外交部项目并为公司题词
Chairman Yi Jun Met with Algerian Ambassador to China
陈国才副总裁参加阿尔及利亚国际会议中心项目奠基仪式及外交部大楼项目启用仪式
Les projets représentatifs de la CSCEC Algérie
易军董事长会晤阿尔及利亚驻华大使
Chinese Loans to Africa Database
中建总公司签约阿尔及利亚外交部新办公楼项目 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.