Chinese Government provides CFA 6.3 billion grant for Palace of Justice Construction Project

Project narrative

During an official visit to China by Guinea-Bissau’s President João Bernardo “Nino” Vieira in November 2006, the Chinese Government agreed to build a military hospital and a ‘Palace of Justice’ in Guinea Bissau’s capital. Grant agreements were signed by Guinea-Bissau’s Foreign Minister, Isaac Monteiro and Chinese Trade Minister, Bo Xilai. According to email correspondence between AidData’s Executive Director and the Director General of the Office of the Secretary of State for Planning and Regional Integration in Guinea-Bissau, the Chinese Government provided a grant worth CFA 6,338,506,650 (or approximately $12.677 million) to the Government of Guinea-Bissau for the Palace of Justice Construction Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce was the funding source. The project involved the construction of four, four-story buildings in the capital city of Bissau that house the Supreme Court of Justice, the Supreme Procuratorate, the Audit and Administrative Courts, and the Attorney General's Office. Jiangsu Construction Engineering Group was the contractor responsible for implementation. A foundation laying ceremony was held on October 30, 2014. The project passed final inspection by the funder (MOFCOM) on January 24, 2016. It was officially handed over to the Government of Guinea-Bissau during a ceremony on January 26, 2016.