Chinese Government provides RMB 31 million interest-free loan for Praia Central Hospital Outpatient Consultation Center and OB-GYN Building Construction Project (Linked to Project ID#35065, ETCA ID#72800)

In December 2005, the Chinese Government and the Government of Cape Verde signed a financing framework agreement for the Praia Central Hospital Outpatient Consultation Center and OB-GYN Building Construction Project. Then, on January 11, 2006, the two governments signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed an EUR 2 million interest-free loan for the project. In December 2008, the two governments signed another Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed another interest-free loan for the project. In total, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) lent approximately RMB 31 million to the Government of Cape Verde for this project. It also provided grant funding equivalent to approximately RMB 9.5 million for the provision and installation of medical equipment at Praia Central Hospital (captured in Project ID#359). The Praia Central Hospital Outpatient Consultation Center and OB-GYN Building Construction Project involved the construction of a new obstetrics and gynaecology (OB-GYN) building (妇产科楼地下室进行局部改造) and outpatient consultation center at Agostinho Neto Hospital (HAN or Praia Central Hospital or 普拉亚中心医院) in the capital city of Praia. The outpatient building was expected to occupy 782 square meters and provide eleven specialty services: medicine, urology, ophthalmology, surgery, ear nose and throat services, trauma services, orthopedics, stomatology, allergy services, cardiology and gastroenterology. The OB-GYN center was expected to occupy 2,128 square meters. Hunan Constructing Engineering Group and China Liaoning International Cooperation Group (辽宁省国际经济技术合作集团有限) were the contractors responsible for implementation. Construction agreements were signed in May 2008. However, construction itself did not begin until March 1, 2009. An inauguration ceremony for the outpatient and OB-GYN buildings took place on May 20, 2011. The Chinese Government later funded the refurbishment of the OB-GYN building in 2012 (see Project ID#35065).

Additional details

1. This project is also known as the Praia Central Hospital Maternity Ward Project and Phase 1 of the Praia Central Hospital Project. The Portuguese project title is Nova Maternidade do Hospital Agostinho Neto or Construção de uma central de consultas e da nova maternidade do Hospital Agostinho Neto. The Chinese project title is 建佛得角首都医院门诊和妇产科大楼 or 对中国援佛得角医院项目 or 佛得角医院项目 or 普拉亚中心医院门诊楼和妇产科住院部项目. 2. Since the borrowing terms of the interest-free loan are unavailable, AidData has set the 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 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

19