Chinese Government provides $6 million interest-free loan for 55.6 km Bata-Niefang Road Reconstruction and Expansion Project

In 2003, the Chinese Government and the Government of Equatorial Guinea signed an interest-free loan agreement for the 55.6 km Bata-Niefang Road Reconstruction and Expansion Project. China’s Ministry of Commerce reportedly committed $6 million in total. The project involved the laying of a second layer of asphalt on a 55.6 km road segment along National Highway No. 1 that begins in the city of Bata and ends in the town of Niefang. The project also sought to expand the width of the road from 7 to 11 meters, improve driving conditions around 20 sharp bends, and alter the design speed of the road from 60 km per hour to 55 km per hour.China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC) was the contractor responsible for implementation. According to CRBC, this project was completed on August 13, 2013.

Additional details

The Chinese project title is 巴塔至涅方公路改扩建项目 or 巴塔-涅方公路项目 or 巴塔-涅方公路.In the database of Chinese loan commitments that it released in July 2020, SAIS-CARI identifies this project as reaching the loan signature (i.e. official commitment) stage but not the implementation stage or completion stage. AidData identifies this project as a fully completed project since multiple sources (including China’s Ministry of Commerce and CRBC) identify 2013 as the year in which this project was completed. Since loan terms for 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

8

Number of unofficial sources

2