Chinese Government provides grant worth 2.963 billion Jamaican dollars for Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Building Construction Project

In 2008, the Chinese government provided a 2.963 billion Jamaican dollar grant for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) Building Project. The project was financed with an additional 622,179,000 Jamaican dollars from the Government of Jamaica. The purpose of this project was to construct a new office building with landscaping in downtown Kingston. The original duration of the project was from April 2008 - December 2010, however the project duration was extended twice from January 2011 - December 2014 and then from January 2015 - December 2016. Before December 2015, the following progress was made: • Feasibility studies completed; • Storm surge studies completed; • Bathymetric and topographic surveys conducted; • Geological survey completed; • Reviewed schematic design of the building; • Transferred ownership of land from the Urban Development Corporation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; • Preliminary design completed by the Chinese and reviewed by local consultants; • Contract signed between the MFAFT and the Chinese for the construction of the office building; and • Drafted Memorandum of Agreement between the MFAFT and the UDC, to authorize the implementation of the Government of Jamaica obligations – construction of coastal revetment and site preparation. On December 17, 2015, Jiangsu Jiangdu Construction Group Co. Limited signed the construction contract to build the MFAFT Building Project. On November 20, 2016, the project broke ground. On October 16, 2019, construction was completed and the new building was officially handed over to the Government of Jamaica. Additionally, on January 19, 2022, China held an opening ceremony for the China-aided Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Building. The new 11-story facility is 11,700 square meters with a two-story annex building, a generator room, boundary wall and parking area.

Number of official sources

23

Number of total sources

25