Chinese Government provides RMB 80 million interest-free loan for Phase 1 of Gaborone Multi-Purpose Youth Centre Project (Linked to Record ID#53227)

Project narrative

In 2001, the Chinese Government and the Government of Botswana signed an interest-free loan agreement for Phase 1 of Gaborone Multi-Purpose Youth Centre Project. Then, on October 30, 2002, the Chinese Government and the Government of Botswana signed an exchange of notes regarding the same project project. In total, the Chinese Government provided two interest-free loans for this project worth RMB 80 million. The total construction area for this project was 6263 square meters, and it was located on an 18 hectare piece of land in Gaborone (between the Madirelo Training Centre and the Gaborone Dam). and the total land area was 7.792 hectares. The project involved the construction of several buildings, swimming pool, diving pool, a football field, two basketball courts, two tennis courts, one outdoor theater, and a parking lot with 101 parking spaces. Negotiations over a project design contract began in May 2001. However, a project design contract was not awarded until May 16, 2007. Zhong Ding International Engineering Co., Ltd. was identified as the contractor responsible for implementation. China’s Ministry of Commerce awarded it a construction contract (worth RMB 58 million) on August 13, 2008. Construction began on October 25, 2009 and ended in 2011. The center was officially handed over to the authorities in Botswana on December 10, 2012. However, as of August 2013, the center was still not open for public use because a fire detection system was omitted from the original design and scope of works. Some other remedial works were also undertaken at the contractors’ expenses as the contract was still within the defects liability period.