Completed Mixed AidData Chinese Aid

[Sino-Congolese Programme] China Eximbank provides $30 million loan for Phase 1 of Lwambo-Mitwaba-Manono-Kalemie Road Rehabilitation Project (Linked to Record ID#450, #59245)

Funder	Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank)
Recipient Organization	Sino-Congolais des Mines (Sicomines SARL)
Country	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Start Date	Aug 17, 2015
End Date	Apr 08, 2031
Duration	5,713 days
Number of Grantees	1
Roles	Recipient
Data Source	AidData Chinese Aid
Grant ID	`59228`

Grant Description

[Sino-Congolese Programme] China Eximbank provides $30 million loan for Phase 1 of Lwambo-Mitwaba-Manono-Kalemie Road Rehabilitation Project In 2008, China Eximbank issued a $3.003 billion general buyer's credit loan to Sino–Congolais des Mines (Sicomines SARL) — a joint venture — to finance infrastructure projects in the DRC (as captured via Record ID#450).

All subsidiary borrowings under the (government-guaranteed) general buyer's credit loan agreement were to be repaid with revenues from mining projects managed by Sicomines SARL.

📋 Loan / Grant Terms

💰 Loan Amountcarried a maturity of 25 years

All infrastructure projects supported through the general buyer's credit loan were part of the so-called “Sino-Congolese Programme." One of the subsidiary loans issued as part of the 'Sino-Congolese Programme' was a $30 million loan for Phase 1 of Lwambo-Mitwaba-Manono-Kalemie Road Rehabilitation Project.

The loan ultimately achieved a disbursement rate of 97% ($29,234,2013.57 out of $30 million).

The Lwambo-Mitwaba-Manono-Kalemie Road Rehabilitation Project involved the paving and modernization of 466.12 km of roads in Haut Katanga, Haut Lomami and Tanganyika provinces (including the development of the road network in Bunkeya, Benkeni Bridge located at PK 45+145, Dikulwe bridge: located at PK 107+281, and Kyubo bridge located at PK 161+060).

Phase 1 involved the asphalting and rehabilitation of a 171.6 km section along the 466.12 km Lwambo-Mitwaba-Manono-Kalemie Road. It also involved the construction of three bridges: Pont Benkeni, Pont Dikulwe, and Pont Kyubo. China Railway Engineering Corporation (CREC) was the contractor responsible for project implementation.

It was awarded a $30 million contract (ID#ACGT/DG/002/2014) on August 17, 2015. Construction began on October 6, 2015 and ended on April 2, 2019. The project’s originally scheduled completion date was January 15, 2018.

📋 Staff Comments

The French project title is Projet d’Asphaltage et Modernisation de la Route Lwambo-Mitwaba-Manono-Kalemie.
The Rapport Annuel 2016 published by Agence Congolaise des Grands Travaux (ACGT) puts the cost of the project at $35 million. The Rapport Annuel 2017 published by ACGT puts the cost of the project at $30 million. AidData relies on the more recent of the two estimates.
Given that AidData has captured the entire $3.003 billion China Eximbank loan commitment amount for multiple infrastructure projects via Project ID#450, it does not record a financial commitment (transaction) amount for the subsidiary loan supporting this project to avoid double-counting.
Phase II of the Lwambo-Mitwaba-Manono-Kalemie Road Rehabilitation Project is captured via Project ID#59245.
One source suggests that this project reached completion on November 20, 2017. This issue warrants further investigation.
For loan and debt rescheduling records with variable interest rates, AidData calculates the all-in interest rate at T0 based on the reference rate (such as LIBOR or EURIBOR) on the loan start date, plus any known margin. Please see the methodology for additional details.

📚 Sources & References

Projet de réhabilitation de la Route Lwambo - Mitwaba - Manono - Kalemie
Rapport Annuel 2017
Rapport Annuel 2016, 2018 Annual Report, rapport assoupliitie
CONVENTION DE LA SINO-CONGOLAISE DES MINES : Qui perd, qui gagne entre l’Etat congolais et la Chine ?
Etude d’évaluation de la mise en œuvre de la convention de collaboration relative au développement d’un projet minier et d’un projet d’infrastructures en RD Congo Projet SICOMINES 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.