Chinese Government provides RMB 60 million interest-free loan — via ETCA — for Senate Building Construction Project (Linked to Project ID#60483 and ID#60606)

On December 13, 2000, the Chinese Government and the Government of Gabon signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA or 经济技术合作协议), which committed an RMB 50 million interest-free loan for the Senate Building Construction Project. Then, on November 20, 2001, the Chinese Government and the Government of Gabon signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed an additional RMB 60 million interest-free loan for the Senate Building Construction Project. Then, on August 21, 2006, the Chinese Government and the Government of Gabon signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed an additional RMB 50 million interest-free loan for the Senate Building Construction Project. Project ID#60483 captures the RMB 50 million interest-free loan in 2000. Project ID#1588 captures the RMB 60 million interest-free loan in 2001. Project ID#60606 captures the RMB 50 million interest-free loan in 2006. This project involved the construction of the Omar Bongo Ondimba Palace Senate Building (also known as Palais Omar Bongo Ondimba) on a plot of 44,075 m2 in the capital city of Libreville. Shanghai Construction Group was the contractor responsible for implementation. A foundation laying ceremony took place in the presence of the Gabonese President on May 25, 2001. However, construction did not begin until July 24, 2003. A project completion ceremony took place on November 4, 2005.

Additional details

1. This project is also known as the Omar Bongo Ondimba Palace Senate Building Construction Project. The Chinese project title is 我援加蓬参议院大厦项目. The Chinese Government also committed an RMB 30 million interest-free loan for this project on October 11, 1999. 2. Since the borrowing terms for the interest-free loan are unavailable, AidData has set maturity to 20 years by default and 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.

Number of official sources

5

Number of total sources

12