China Eximbank provides RMB 350 million government concessional loan for BOL-110 (Phase II) Sub-National Integrated Command and Control System for Citizen Security (Linked to Record ID#54576)

Project narrative

On June 19, 2018, China Eximbank and the Government of Bolivia signed an RMB 350,000,000 government concessional loan (GCL) agreement [China Eximbank GCL No.2017 (02) TOTAL No.(607)] for the Sub-National Integrated Command and Control System for Citizen Security BOL-110. The GCL carries an interest rate of 2%, a grace period of 5 years, and a maturity of 15 years. The lender made disbursements worth $15,266,288 in 2018 and $15,275,394 in 2019, an unknown amount in 2020, $0 in 2021, and $4,786,128 in 2023. The borrower made no principal repayments between 2018 and 2023. However, it paid interest and/or fees worth $251,597 in 2018, $431,801 in 2019, an unknown amount in 2020, $1,014,322 in 2021, and $928,163 in 2023. The loan’s (principal) amount outstanding was $0 as of December 31, 2017, $15,266,288 as of December 31, 2018, $30,072,604 as of December 31, 2019, $48,401,223 as of December 31, 2020, $49,412,540 as of December 31, 2021, $45,132,244 as of December 31, 2022, and $49,169,733 as of December 31, 2023. The purpose of the project is to use technology to enhance the operational capacity of the Bolivian police to combat crime. The first phase of the project involves the construction of a command center in La Paz's Miraflores area, which has 32 consoles to track 620 security cameras in the cities of La Paz and El Alto. The system will be expanded to six provincial capitals (Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Warnes, El Alto, Trinidad, Cobija and Oruro) in the second phase, when all of them will be equipped with control centers. The system will be assisted with 120 public servants, three police buses, five drones and new intelligent patrol vehicles. The Bolivian police department will also receive 100 digital radios with GPS for patrol cars and 500 radios for police officers. 2,000 public transport vehicles will be equipped with a GPS system and emergency buttons to help drivers and passengers. China National Electronics Import & Export Corporation is the contractor responsible for project implementation. The second phase of the project was officially launched on August 20, 2019. The Municipal Government of Santa Cruz de la Sierra received technological surveillance equipment in September 2022 as part of the implementation of the project's second phase. Technological surveillance systems were later installed in eleven penitentiary facilities nationwide -- Chonchocoro, Obrajes and San Pedro in La Paz; San Sebastián and El Abra in Cochabamba; Palmasola and Montero in Santa Cruz; Cantumarca in Potosí; Mocovi in Trinidad; Villa Busch in Cobija; and Morros Blancos in Tarija -- in December 2022. Then, on November 17, 2023, the BOL-110 citizen security (technological surveillance) system was officially inaugurated in Beni Department. The project was inaugurated in El Alto, completing the project's expansionary phase 2.