Chinese Government provides grant for Access to Satellite TV Project (Linked to projects #57618 and #30698)

On September 14, 2011, StarTimes and Radio-Television Nationale Congolaise (RTNC) signed a joint venture agreement (see Project ID#30698). Then, in 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping, together with the African participants of the Conference, at the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation at the Johannesburg Summit announced the 'Access to satellite TV in ten thousand African villages' project (see Project ID#57618). StarTimes group was charged with implementing the project under the direction of the Chinese and African governments in the countries concerned. The project was to take place in ten thousand villages in rural areas with 25 African countries, including the DRC. In each of these villages, an average of two television sets and a 32-inch digital television kit was to be installed for three public places such as school, hospital, village office, church etc. In addition, an average of 20 reception terminal kits were to be distributed free of charge to households with televisions. The installation process would be undertaken by StarTimes. According to the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Aid Management Platform (AMP), StarTimes spent $46,921,255 on a project in DRC. However, it is unclear if this financial commitment supported the Access to Satellite TV Project. The commencement ceremony for the project was held on June 2, 2018 in Kinshasa. The closing ceremony was held on September 24, 2019. The project reportedly provided 500 digital TVs, 1,000 projectors and 10,000 receiving terminals to 500 villages in 4 regions of the Congo (DRC). The Chinese project title is “万村通”项目 or 中国援刚果（金）“万村通”项目. The French project title is Accès à la TV satellite pour 10.000 villages africains.

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