Chinese Government provides RMB 58.85 million grant for Customs Inspection Equipment Project (Linked to Project ID #56135)

On December 13 and 20, 2016, a Chinese Embassy official and the Foreign Minister of Cape Verde signed an exchange of letters for a Customs Inspection Equipment Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) was the source of funding and it committed RMB 58.85 million ($10 million USD) in total. The purpose of this project was to modernize Cabo Verde's customs services. It involved the provision and installation of the following equipment: a mobile vehicle/container scanner (for use at Boa Vista Port), two luggage scanners (for use at Praia and Sal international airports), and an automated customs clearance system (for use at Praia port but also for all other import/export centers). Tongfang Weishi Technology (also known as Nuctech Company Limited) was the contractor responsible for implementation. The project handover ceremony took place on August 13, 2018 but the project handover certificate was officially signed on December 21, 2018. In 2009, China Eximbank and the Government of Cape Verde also signed an RMB 87.01 million loan, which facilitated the acquisition of container scanners from Nuctech Company Limited (see Project ID#56135).

Additional details

The Chinese project title is 中国援佛得角海关现代化物资项目 or 佛得角海关现代化物资项目 or 海关现代化物资项目. The Portuguese project title is Projeto de modernização das alfândegas de Cabo Verde. AidData could not identify any evidence from the Chinese Government or the Government of Cape Verde that this project was supported by a loan. Therefore, it is coded as a grant-financed project for the time being. However, MOFCOM refers to this project as being supported by ‘aid’, which in principle could be a grant or interest-free loan. This issue merits further investigation. China previously loaned 87.01 million RMB to Cabo Verde in 2009 to purchase three NUCTECH container scanners (#56135).

Number of official sources

7

Number of total sources

15