Chinese Government provides a RMB 213 million grant — via an April 2019 ETCA — for the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music Construction Project (Linked to Project ID#65712, #65714, #40971, #65786, and #85604)

On May 10, 2017, the Chinese Government and the Government of Lebanon signed an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement (ETCA), in which the Chinese Government committed a RMB 100 million grant (captured by linked project ID#65786) for the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music Construction Project. Then, on December 14, 2017, the Council of Ministers of Lebanon allocated RMB 120 million of additional funding to the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music Construction Project. This RMB 120 sum came from three grants committed in three ETCAs previously signed by the Lebanese Government and the Chinese Government: a RMB 50 million grant committed in an ETCA signed on February 26, 2013 (captured by linked project ID#65712), a RMB 50 million grant committed in an ETCA signed on December 5, 2013 (captured by linked project ID#65714), and a RMB 20 million grant committed in an ETCA signed on September 10, 2015 (captured by linked project ID#40971) (pg.136 of "CDR Progress Report 2017"). Then, on January 9, 2018, the Chinese Government and the Government of Lebanon signed an exchange of letters regarding the project in the presence of Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri. Then, on April 11, 2019, the Chinese Government and the Government of Lebanon signed an ETCA, in which the Chinese Government committed a RMB 300 million ($44 million USD) grant to Lebanon for the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music Construction Project and other projects that would be mutually agreed upon by the two governments. The ETCA stipulated that the grant would be disbursed through a bank account (known as "Aid Account No. 1/2018") established between China Development Bank (CDB) and the Banque du Liban (Lebanon’s central bank). This grant was signed after the Council of Ministers of Lebanon approved it via Resolution No. 15 issued on March 21, 2019. Then, on December 16, 2019, the Chinese Government and the Government of Lebanon signed an agreement allocating RMB 213 million of the RMB 300 million grant proceeds to the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music Construction Project. The use of the remaining RMB 87 million continued to be unallocated. This project captures the RMB 213 million that was allocated towards the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music Construction Project. For the unallocated RMB 87 million, see linked project ID#85604. The purpose of the project was to construct a building for the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music (Le Conservatoire libanais national supérieur de musique) in the town of Dbaye (الضبية). The conservatory was designed to cover a land area of 14,386 square meters and have a total floor area of 26,588 square meters. The building was to include a 1,200-seat concert hall, a teaching building (including a 350-seat concert hall), a generator room, other equipment rooms, an underground garage, a reception hall, a security room, and fences. The conservatory, once completed, was expected to will attract musicians from neighboring areas, improve the quality and capacity of musical education in Lebanon, and provide a first-class professional venue for the public to enjoy musical performances. The construction of the conservatory was the first complete project aided by the Chinese Government to the Lebanese Government. China IPPR International Engineering Co., Ltd. (中国中元国际工程有限公司) was the contractor responsible for project design and management, while China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) was the general contractor responsible for implementation. Lebanon's Ministry of Culture was also involved in implementation. The Chinese Government provided the design plans for the conservatory to Lebanon's Ministry of Culture on September 19, 2018. The Chinese Government and the Lebanese Government signed the project implementation agreement on October 30, 2018. Then, in April 1, 2019, the project design team from China IPPR International Engineering Co., Ltd. briefed Prime Minister Hariri on the progress and preliminary design of the project. The project's formal groundbreaking ceremony was held on December 20, 2019. At the time, the conservatory was expected to be completed within 3 years. However, the implementation of this project was delayed because of the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. A second formal groundbreaking ceremony was held on December 18, 2020. On June 16, 2022, it was reported that the conservatory was still under construction.

Additional details

1. This project is also known as the Lebanese National Higher Institution of Music Construction Project. The Chinese project title is 援黎巴嫩国家高等音乐学院项目 or 黎巴嫩国家高等音乐学院项目. The French project title is La construction du conservatoire nommé Institut national supérieur de musique. The Arabic project title is المعهد الوطني اللبناني العالي للموسيقى. 2. This project is known as "Construction of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music -Additional" in the Lebanese Council for Development and Reconstruction's (CDR) database. The agreement number is 25171 (see "CDR Funding - Construction of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music -Additional"). 3. CDR ("CDR Funding - Construction of the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory of Music -Additional") claims that the USD equivalent of this RMB 300 million grant was $47,008,956 USD, but official sources at the time of signing (such as "Signature with China") report a $44 million USD figure. Thus, it is possible that the entirety of the RMB 300 million was intended for this project, and the 213 million was just the amount allocated so far. For now, #85604 (which records the rest of the ETCA) should remain in case it is intended for another project. 4. As this is an ETCA, which is a financing mechanism specific to China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM), AidData has coded MOFCOM as the specific Chinese Government institution responsible for providing this grant. 5. A progress report ("CDR Progress Report 2017") from the Lebanese Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) says that May 13, 2017 was the signing date of the RMB 10 million ETCA, but other official sources ("Agreement on economic and technical cooperation between China and Lebanon", a press release dated May 10, 2017) identified the signing date as May 10, 2017.

Number of official sources

25

Number of total sources

33