Active Development AidData Chinese Aid

China Eximbank provides RMB 160 million government concessional loan for PostCyber Project

¥160M RMB

Funder	Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank)
Recipient Organization	La Poste du Bénin S.A.
Country	Benin
Start Date	May 20, 2007
End Date	Jul 23, 2033
Duration	9,561 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`58866`

Grant Description

China Eximbank provides RMB 160 million government concessional loan for PostCyber Project On 20 May, 2007, China Eximbank and La Poste du Bénin S.A. signed an RMB 160 million government concessional loan (GCL) agreement for the PostCyber Project.

📋 Loan / Grant Terms

💰 Loan Amountare unknown

La Poste du Bénin S.A. is a state-owned company responsible for the PostCyber Project. The Government of Benin issued a sovereign guarantee in support of this loan).

This project involved the creation of a mobile and fixed-telephone network and electronification of Benin's current post office services.

It had three objectives: 1) computerization and connection to high-speed internet for post offices and the head office; 2) management of PO boxes and postal products, financial applications for CCP, CNE and transfers, an ERP for the management of accounting, human resources, and stocks, deployment IP extension internally; and 3) developing postcyber SMS, cybercafés, call center, and hybrid mail.

ZTE was the contractor responsible for implementation. The project commenced in 2008; however, it is unknown whether or when this project was completed.

According to a December 2011 report by Benin's Ministry of Economy and Finance, the loan has not yet begun to be paid back, and 11,526,717,333 CFAF is left outstanding.

📋 Staff Comments

The French project title is Projet PostCyber-Bénin.
This loan is not included in the database of Chinese loan commitments that SAIS-CARI released in July 2020.
In May 2018 email correspondence with AidData’s Executive Director, the Coordinator of the IMF Program in Benin’s Ministry of Economy and Finance confirmed the receipt of this loan.
Some sources identifies this flow as a preferential export buyer's credit with a commitment value of $20 million USD; however, AidData relies on the RMB 160 million amount provided by the Presidency of the Republic of Benin site (See: DECRET N' 2007-212 DU 20 MAI 2007 and China & Africa: Assessing the Relationship on the Eve of the Fourth Forum on China Africa Co-operation (FOCAC IV) and Allocution prononcée par S.E.Mme LI Beifen, Ambassadeur chinois près le Bénin à l’occasion de la réception de la Fête national de la République Populaire de Chine).

📚 Sources & References

ÉTUDE POUR LA DÉFINITION DE LA STRATÉGIE D’ACCÈS UNIVERSEL TÉLÉCOM ET TIC ET DU PLAN D’ACTIONS POUR LA MISE EN ŒUVRE DE PROJETS PILOTES EN RÉPUBLIQUE DU BÉNIN
China & Africa: Assessing the Relationship on the Eve of the Fourth Forum on China Africa Co-operation (FOCAC IV)
DECRET N' 2007-212 DU 20 MAI 2007
Un analyste financier pour l’Audit du SIG de La Poste du Bénin, http://wwwen.zte.com.cn/endata/magazine/ztetechnologies/2005year/no1/articles/200503/t20050316_161440.html
Les relations de coopération entre la Chine et le Bénin sont excellentes
RAPPORT D’EXECUTION AU 31 DECEMBRE 2011 DU BUDGET GENERAL DE L’ETAT
GESTION 2011, État des lieux des télécommunications au Bénin
Allocution prononcée par S.E.Mme LI Beifen
Ambassadeur chinois près le Bénin à l’occasion de la réception de la Fête national de la République Populaire de Chine
Aiding Transparency: What We Can Learn About China ExIm Bank’s Concessional Loans
Chinese Loans to Africa Database
对外投资合作国别（地区）指南
Africa’s ICT Infrastructure Building on the Mobile Revolution
Liste de prêts des institutions gouvernementales chinoises de 2000 à 2017
Coopération Economique Chine-Bénin, 2006 Article IV Consultation - Benin
Africa Research Bulletin - Economic Financial and Technical Series Volume 45 No 7 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.