Active Development AidData Chinese Aid

Chinese Government provides SCR 18.9 million grant for Seychelles Business Studies Academy (SBSA) and Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD) Construction Project (Linked to Record ID#55811 and ID#55589)

$18.9M USD

Funder	Unspecified Chinese Government Institution
Recipient Organization	Government of Seychelles
Country	Seychelles
Start Date	Oct 30, 2017
End Date	Oct 16, 2032
Duration	5,465 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`55584`

Grant Description

On October 30, 2017, the Chinese Government and the Government of Seychelles signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed $7.3 million of grant funding for multiple projects (see Record ID#55811).

It was originally announced that the proceeds from the ETCA would be used to facilitate the construction of a new post-secondary school for commerce and visual arts in Anse Royale district, which is located in the southern part of the island of Mahe.

However, the Government of Seychelles subsequently earmarked SCR 18.9 million (about $1.4 million) of the ETCA proceeds for the establishment of a Seychelles Business Studies Academy (SBSA) and Seychelles Institute of Art and Design (SIAD) on Aurore Island, which is also known as Ile Aurore.

Aurore Island is a man-made island 2 kilometers off the coast of Victoria that the Seychellois plan to turn into a well-off neighborhood; so they must provide schools for families to attend. This project was expected to go to tender in 2020.

📋 Staff Comments

This project goes by a few different names, including School for Commerce and Visual Arts, School of Business Studies & Accounting and School of Visual Arts, and School for Business Studies and Arts & Design. The funding allocations for this project changed multiple times. According to a 2017 report published by the Central Bank of Seychelles and a Seychelles News Agency article, all of the proceeds from the ETCA were allocated for this project project. However, the Government of Seychelles seems to have reduced this allocation to SCR 16.7 million in it 2018 Budget. It subsequently allocated another SCR 2.2 million. The Government of Seychelles 2020 Budget allocates SCR 27.9 million for this project but does not specify how much of that amount will be finance with Chinese Government grant funding.

📚 Sources & References

China-Seychelles economic and technological cooperation agreement signed in Cyprus
SEYCHELLES GOVERNMENT BUDGET For the Fiscal Year 2020
Education – A shared responsibility
President of Seychelles congratulates President of China on renewed mandate
Annual Report 2017
China gives Seychelles $ 7.3 million grant for educational facility
中国与塞舌尔签署新的经济技术合作协定
SEYCHELLES GOVERNMENT BUDGET For the Fiscal Year 2019
SEYCHELLES GOVERNMENT BUDGET For the Fiscal Year 2018
Seychelles-China relations 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.