Chinese Government provides RMB 210 million interest-free loan for Mozambique-Chinese Cultural Center Construction Project (Linked to Project ID#69214)

In 2017, the Chinese Government agreed to provide RMB 420 million of funding for the Mozambique-Chinese Cultural Center Construction Project. 50% of the funding was provided through a grant and the other 50% was provided through an interest-free loan. Project ID#69214 captures the RMB 210 million grant commitment and this project captures the RMB 210 million interest-free loan commitment. This project involved the construction of an open-air theater that can accommodate more than 1,500 people, and an indoor theater with 500 seats. The purpose of these facilities is to host conferences, musical and theatrical performances, movies, and cultural activities. The center is being built on the "Chinese campus" of Eduardo Mondlane University in Maputo. Yanjian Group is the contractor is the contractor responsible for implementation. A groundbreaking ceremony for this project was held on May 13, 2018. The project had an expected construction period of 3 years. The deadline, initially set for 2021 was delayed due to about 400 Mozambican workers being laid off because of covid. The project was completed in September 2022.

Additional details

1. This project is also known as the Sino-Mozambican Cultural Center. The Portuguese project title is Centro Cultural Moçambique-China. The Chinese project title is 莫桑比克莫中文化中心项目 2. Since the borrowing terms of the interest-free loan are unavailable, AidData has set maturity period to 20 years by default and grace period to 10 years by default per China's Foreign Assistance White Paper (http://www.cidca.gov.cn/2018-08/06/c_129925064_3.htm) which states that the maturity period of interest-free loans is 20 years, with a drawdown period of 5 years, grace period of 5 years, and repayment over 10 years. AidData treats the drawdown period as providing 5 years of additional grace.

Number of official sources

11

Number of total sources

17