Chinese Government provides $20.2 million grant for Port Moresby International Convention Center Construction Project (Linked to Record ID#64131 and #73611)

Project narrative

Between 2007 and 2010, the Chinese Government provided approximately $20.2 million (PGK 63,509,000) of grant funding (captured via Record ID#64130) to the Government of Papua New Guinea for the Port Moresby International Convention Center Construction Project. The grant proceeds were drawn from six different Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCAs) that the two governments signed on March 20, 2007, September 6, 2008, April 15, 2009, November 4, 2009, December 16, 2010, and December 23, 2010. Additionally, on December 23, 2010, the Chinese Government and the Government of Papua New Guinea signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), which committed a PGK 8 million interest-free loan (captured via Record ID#73611) for the Port Moresby International Convention Center Construction Project. The purpose of the project was to construct a 10,000 square meter convention center in a suburb of Port Moresby called Waigani — next to the Parliament House — on a project site that is spread out over 3.35 hectares. It involved the construction of a 700-seat main conference hall; a 50-seat conference hall; 2 x 137-seat medium conference halls, 6 x 25-seat small conference rooms; a ministerial office and other administrative offices; a one 400-person capacity multi-purpose hall; a dining room and kitchen; a service road; guard houses; and a car park. China IPPR International Engineering Co., Ltd (中国中元国际工程有限公司), a subsidiary of Sinomach, and China Jiangxi Corporation for International Economic & Technical Cooperation (CJIC) were the contractors responsible for project design and implementation. A project feasibility study and market survey was conducted between August 25, 2010 and September 20, 2010. Then, a formal groundbreaking ceremony took place on November 6, 2012. The project was originally expected to be complete in 2015 in time for the South Pacific Games. However, the project encountered various obstacles and delays. Construction was temporarily halted in July 2013 following attacks on Chinese workers. The project passed a final MOFCOM inspection on December 17, 2015. A grand launching ceremony for the convention center took place on September 27, 2016.