China Eximbank pledges to finance 72 km Arbër Highway Construction Project
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Summary
Funding agency [Type]
Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank) [State-owned Policy Bank]
Recipient
Albania
Sector
Transport and storage (Code: 210)
Flow type
Loan
Level of public liability
Central government debt
Infrastructure
Yes
Category
Project lifecycle
Description
On December 15, 2014, Albania's Finance and Transport Minister signed a memorandum of cooperation with China Eximbank for the Arbër Highway Construction Project. The purpose of this project is to construct a single carriageway highway between Albania and North Macedonia that measures 170 km in length. The highway is planned to stretch along an ancient caravan route passing through the eastern highlands of Tirana along SH61, and ending at the current SH6 in Diber County. China State Construction Engineering Corporation was granted a commercial contract for the project, but it later withdrew from the project. Albanian construction firm Gjoka Konstruksion ultimately won the bid to implement this $298 million project on a public-private partnership (PPP) basis through a 13-year concession contract for highway improvement, construction, operation, and maintenance. According to MAPO, an Albanian media source, the pledge with China fell through in 2017.
Additional details
The Chinese title for the project is 阿尔伯里公路. The Albanian project title is Rruga e Arbrit.
Number of official sources
3
Number of total sources
12
Details
Cofinanced
No
Direct receiving agencies [Type]
Government of Albania [Government Agency]
Implementing agencies [Type]
China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) [State-owned Company]
Gjoka Konstruksion [Private Sector]