Narrative
Full Description
Project narrative
On July 20, 2012, China Eximbank and Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Finance signed a $201,250,532.92 preferential buyer’s credit (PBC) agreement [CHINA EXIMBANK PBC NO. (2012) 22 TOTAL NO. (210)] for Phase 2 of the Malabo Power Grid Project. The borrowing terms of the loan are unknown. However, it is known that the proceeds of the loan were used to finance a commercial contract with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC). According to Caja Autónoma de Amortización de la Deuda Pública within Equatorial Guinea’s Ministry of Finance and Budget, the China Eximbank PBC for the project had disbursed $148,960,746.15 as of December 31, 2019 and the borrower had made principal ($9,930,716.42) and interest ($14,720,836.26) payments worth $24,651,552.68 as of December 31, 2019. The loan's principal amount outstanding was $139,030,029.73 as of December 31, 2019. Then, on January 21, 2020, the borrower made an additional principal and interest payment worth $11,973,554.36 to China Eximbank. The purpose of the project was to expand the power grid in the city of Malabo. CMEC was the contractor responsible for project implementation. The project reached completion, but its precise commencement and completion dates are unknown.
Staff comments
1. This project is also known as the Malabo Electrification Project and Phase 2 of Malabo Connections Project. The Spanish project title is El Proyecto de la electrificación de Malabo and Proyecto de Urbanización de la Red de Transmision Electrica en la Ciudad de Malabo Fase II or Fase II, Acometidas Malabo. The Chinese project title is 首都马拉博城市电网改造项目二期. 2. This China Eximbank loan was not included in the database of Chinese loan commitments that SAIS-CARI released in 2020 and re-released in 2021. Nor was it included it in the Chinese Loans to Africa (CLA) Database — that is maintained by Boston University's Global Development Policy Center — as of September 2024 3. Some sources identify the face value of the loan as $174,000,000. However, AidData relies on the face value of the loan ($201,250,532.92) that is identified by Equatorial Guinea's Ministry of Finance (see https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1g02zevd21salaogm6egd/List-of-Chinese-loans-published-on-Equatorial-Guinea-Ministry-of-Finance-Website-in-2021.xlsx?rlkey=fr9lomks4dce3zhwgfden2grp&dl=0 and https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/20hjuaclx0huk36o4oqnf/Ministry-of-Finance-Statements-on-Equatorial-Guinea-s-External-Debt-Situation-2009-2019.xlsx?rlkey=sj7qii1zooaiwdi649d1yri1k&dl=0). 4. The borrower made debt service payments to the lender from an escrow account (ID#1360000100000881349). See https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/pk6rsp7qlg3uigv79jk4t/ordenes_de_pago_2020.pdf?rlkey=woy2yflgemcgvglz4392qg3qm&dl=0 5. Data on disbursements, repayments and amounts outstanding under the loan agreement are provided by Ministry of Finance Statements on Equatorial Guinea's External Debt Situation. See https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/20hjuaclx0huk36o4oqnf/Ministry-of-Finance-Statements-on-Equatorial-Guinea-s-External-Debt-Situation-2009-2019.xlsx?rlkey=sj7qii1zooaiwdi649d1yri1k&dl=0 and https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/1g02zevd21salaogm6egd/List-of-Chinese-loans-published-on-Equatorial-Guinea-Ministry-of-Finance-Website-in-2021.xlsx?rlkey=fr9lomks4dce3zhwgfden2grp&dl=0