Chinese Government provides grant for 3.2 km Regent-Limkokwing Road Rehabilitation Project

In June 2016, Shen Xiaokai, the Chinese Economic and Commercial Counselor to Sierra Leone, announced that the Chinese Government had agreed to fund the 3.2 km Regent-Limkokwing Road Rehabilitation Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce reportedly provided a $10 million grant for this project. This project involved the rehabilitation of a 3.2 km road that starts at Limkokwing University and extends to Regent Hill Station near Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. This road is also known as the Freetown Ring Road. According to Shen Xiaokai, this rehabilitation project will be funded with the proceeds from a $60 million grant announced by President Xi Jinping during the 6th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in South Africa in December 2015. However, the size of the Chinese Government grant commitment for this project is unknown. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is the contractor responsible for implementation. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 14, 2018. On January 29, 2021, officials from the Works, Transport, Office of Presidential Infrastructure and Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) toured the construction site. One engineer, Amara Kanneh said the road is 95% completed. COVID-19 has been noted as a hinderance to the project.

Additional details

This project is also known as the Freetown Ring Road Rehabilitation Project. The Chinese project title is 建的塞拉利昂弗里敦环城公路修复改造项目 or 团承建的塞拉利昂弗里敦环城公路修复改造项目. Some Government of Sierra Leone sources identify China Eximbank as the funder. However, it seems unlikely that China Eximbank is the funder given that this project was funded with a grant.

Number of official sources

5

Number of total sources

14