Chinese Government provides RMB 40 million grant for Prime Minister's Office Construction Project (Linked to Record ID#63179)

Project narrative

On January 13, 2013, the Chinese Government and the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu signed a grant agreement for the Prime Minister's Office Construction Project. Some of the grant proceeds were drawn from an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) that the two governments signed in 2009 (see Record ID#63179). The purpose of the project was to renovate and expand the Office of the Prime Minister on the Island of Efate in the Province of Shefa. The Chinese side agreed to demolish an existing two-floor building and one-floor building and car parking shed behind the U shape building to allow for a new Prime Ministers Office Complex to be constructed on the same site. The project involved the construction of a three-floor office building with 15 large offices, 7 ordinary meeting rooms, a multi-functional meeting room, a ministerial conference room, a multi-functional hall, and a VIP reception room. China State Construction Engineering Corp. Ltd. was the contractor responsible for implementation. The Chinese Government and the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu signed letters of exchange for a project feasibility study on March 3, 2010. Then, a design survey was undertaken from October 2013 to November 2013. On October 28, 2014, the preliminary design documents were forwarded to the Government of Vanuatu for consideration. In January 2015, the Government of Vanuatu acknowledged receipt of the preliminary design for the extension of the Office of the Prime Minister. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on May 14, 2016, and construction began shortly thereafter. On August 30, 2017, a project handover ceremony was held. The project was completed 60 days ahead of schedule.