Chinese Government provides grant for Phase 4 of Borehole Drilling Project (Linked to Project ID#49674, #62683, #73024)

On April 3, 2018, the Chinese Government signed bilateral cooperation agreements with the Government of Zimbabwe in the fields of economy and technology, agriculture, science and technology, and human resources development during President Emmerson Mnangawa's visit to China. Later that month, documents from Zimbabwe's Treasury revealed that the Chinese government granted RMB 700,000 to Zimbabwe for the Borehole Drilling Project following the presidential visit and that Zimbabwe was processing paperwork related to the transaction. According to the Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance and Development's 2019 Budget Statement, the People's Republic of China had made resources available for the construction of 500 new boreholes, this was confirmed in the Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance and Development's 2022 Budget Statement. The additional funding tranche was provided by the Chinese government through the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and ChinaAid, and was costed by the Zimbabwean Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, and Rural Resettlement and locally administered by the Zimbabwean District Development Fund. The Borehole Drilling Project was for the construction of 1000 boreholes, and it was implemented in in four phases. China Jiangxi International Economic and Technical Cooperation Co. Ltd. (江西国际经济技术合作公司) was responsible for the implementation of Phase 1, 2, 3, and 4. Phase 1 involved the drilling of 64 boreholes in the Matabeleland Province. It was completed on or around 31 October, 2013. Project ID#49674 captures Phase 1.Then, In May 2013, the Government of Zimbabwe and the Chinese Government signed a grant agreement for Phase 2 of the Borehole Drilling Project. The agreement was signed by Acting Zimbabwean Finance Minister, Sipepa Nkomo, and China’s Deputy Minister of Commerce signed at a ceremony witnessed by Vice President, Joice Mujuru, and the visiting Chinese Vice-Premier, Wang Yang. Phase 2 involved the drilling of 136 boreholes in Mashonaland Central Province, Mashonaland East Province, and Manicaland Province. It was implemented between July 2014 and June 2015. Project ID#62683 captures Phase 2. In 2016, China’s Ministry of Commerce provided additional funding for Phase 3 of the project, which involved the drilling of 300 boreholes in Rushinga District. Project ID#73024 captures Phase 3. Phase 4 of the project consisted of 500 boreholes, with 200 boreholes being constructed in Manicaland, 150 boreholes in Masvingo Province, and 150 boreholes in Matebeleland South Province. The project began in March 2019, and was completed on July 10, 2019.

Additional details

1. The project appears to have been financed based on a $6 million cost estimate that the Zimbabwe Department of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate, and Rural Resettlement presented to the Chinese Government.

Number of official sources

4

Number of total sources

17