Active Development AidData Chinese Aid

China Eximbank pledges CFA 110 billion loan for CRTV Rehabilitation Project

$183.33M USD

Funder	Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank)
Recipient Organization	Cameroon Ministry of Communication (MINCOM)
Country	Cameroon
Start Date	Dec 22, 2014
End Date	Feb 19, 2030
Duration	5,538 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`58358`

Grant Description

On December 22, 2014, Cameroon's Ministry of Communications and Star Software Technologies Co. LTD (Startimes) signed a commercial contract worth CFA 110 billion for the CRTV Rehabilitation Project.

The purpose of the project was to support CRTV's efforts to transition from migration from analog to digital terrestrial television (DTT).

The Government of Cameroon intended to finance the commercial contract with a loan from China Eximbank; however, in March 2017, Professor Felix Zogo, Inspector General in Cameroon's Ministry of Communication, disclosed that the Government of Cameroon had not yet finalized a loan agreement with China Eximbank for the CRTV Rehabilitation Project.

Then, the Government of Cameroon identified a China Eximbank loan (worth CFA 15 billion) for the CRTV Rehabilitation Project in its 2018 Borrowing Plan.

However, in its Article IV reporting to the IMF, the Government of Cameroon indicated that the approval of the loan was pending a 'compliance report'.

The Government of Cameroon subsequently identified a China Eximbank loan (worth CFA 25 billion) for the CRTV Rehabilitation Project in its 2019 Borrowing Plan. However, a 'compliance report' was still pending at that time.

📋 Staff Comments

This project is also known as the CRTV Rehabilitation Project. The French project title is la réhabilitation technique de la CRTV.
In the database of Chinese loan commitments that it released in July 2020, SAIS-CARI identifies the CRTV Rehabilitation Project as one that was backed an official, $62 million loan commitment (i.e. a signed and countersigned loan agreement) from China Eximbank in 2016. However, given that the approval of this loan was still pending a 'compliance report' in 2019, AidData has status-coded the transaction as a pledge rather than an official commitment.
CRTV is a government-controlled radio and television service in Cameroon. It started as Cameroon Television and later merged with the radio service to become known as CRTV.

📚 Sources & References

CRTV in Cameroon Seeks Partnerships to Receive its Digital TV Signal
CRTV: Minister of Communication René Emmanuel Sadi pays working visit
THIRD REVIEW UNDER THE EXTENDED CREDIT FACILITY ARRANGEMENT AND REQUESTS FOR A WAIVER OF NONOBSERVANCE OF A PERFORMANCE CRITERION AND MODIFICATION OF PERFORMANCE CRITERIA—PRESS RELEASE; STAFF REPORT; AND STATEMENT BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR CAMEROON
Chinese Loans to Africa Database
Digital Switchover: Cameroon to Conclude Process in 2018
La Chine apporte son appui à la réhabilitation technique de la Crtv
Cameroon Radio Television 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.