[Cancelled] China Eximbank provides $57.6 million preferential buyer’s credit loan for the 81.3 km Tandjouaré–Cinkassé-Burkina Faso Border Road Rehabilitation Project (Linked to Record ID#392 and #68465)

Project narrative

On September 7, 2009, the Export-Import Bank of China and the Ministry of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Togo signed a $165 million USD preferential buyer’s credit (PBC) agreement for the Togolese Road Network Partial Renovation Project (captured by Record ID#392). The PBC carried the following terms: a maturity period of 20 years, a grace period of 7 years, and an interest rate of 2%. One of the projects financed under this loan was the 81.3 km Tandjouaré–Cinkassé-Burkina Faso Border Road Rehabilitation Project. Approximately $57,606,545.93 USD of the loan proceeds were used by the borrower to finance 85% of the cost of a $67,772,406,98 USD commercial contract [Marché N° 008/2008/MTPT/SG/DGTP] between the Government of Togo and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) signed on November 6, 2008. The project involved the asphalting and rehabilitation of an 81.3 km segment along National Route 1 (RN1) that runs from Tandjouaré to Cinkassé and then onward to Togo’s border with Burkina Faso. It also involved the asphalting and rehabilitation of a 5 km segment that runs from National Route 1 (RN1) and the Lomé Golf Club to the town of Togblékopé. CRBC was the contractor responsible for implementation. CIRA SAS provided services for implementation. The beneficiary of the project was Togo's Ministry of Public Works and Transport. A formal project commencement ceremony, attended by President of Togo Faure Gnassingbé, was held on February 4, 2010 and the project’s expected completion date was June 2012. However, on July 14, 2014, the Government of Togo and China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) revised the commercial contract [Marché N° 008/2008/MTPT/SG/DGTP] that they initially signed on November 6, 2008. The contract revision specified that the 81.3 km Tandjouaré–Cinkassé-Burkina Faso Border Road Rehabilitation Project would be replaced with the 13.5 km Togblékopé-Tsévi Road Rehabilitation and Expansion Project (at no additional cost). The latter project involved the rehabilitation and expansion of a 13.5 km segment along National Route 1 (RN1) that runs from Togblékopé to Tsévi. It may have also involved development and asphalting of the Togblékopé-Davié section and development of a 736-meter road segment that connects the REN1 to a tool booth in Davié. However, this issue merits further investigation. According to the General Directorate of Public Works (DGTP) within Togo’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the 13.5 km Togblékopé-Tsévi Road Rehabilitation and Expansion Project entered implementation. However, its precise implementation start and end dates are unknown. Record ID#68465 captures the loan commitment for the 13.5 km Togblékopé-Tsévi Road Rehabilitation and Expansion Project. Record ID#43758 captures the China Eximbank loan commitment for the 83 km Tandjouaré–Cinkassé-Burkina Faso Border Road Rehabilitation Project, which was effectively cancelled by China Eximbank.