Chinese Government provides RMB 519 million grant for Central African Culture and Art Center Construction Project

Project narrative

As part of an economic and technical cooperation agreement (ETCA) signed on December 17, 2017, the Chinese Government committed to provide a grant to finance the the Central African Culture and Art Center Construction Project. This project is worth 519 million RMB. This project involves two parts: the construction of the Central African Cultural Center and the National Academy of Arts in Kinshasa. The project also involves the construction of the guard house, reception room, square, road, parking lot, fence and other auxiliary facilities. The construction scale is about 37008.44 square meters, including a 2000-seat grand theater, 800-seat small theater and a National Academy of Arts campus that can accommodate 2000 students. Beijing Urban Construction Group is the contractor responsible for implementation of the project. On August 21, 2018, the project implementation agreement was signed by representatives of China's Ministry of Commerce and Congo's Minister of Foreign Affairs. Construction began on October 15, 2019. The Chinese Ambassador to the DRC, Zhu Jing, visited the project site on January 23, 2023 and announced that the project was expected to reach completion by the end of 2023. On December 14, 2024, president Felix Tshisekedi inaugurated the center, marking the completion of the project.