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Overview

Zijin Mining Group Ltd. donates 2nd Fire Eye COVID-19 testing lab built by BGI in Nis, Serbia in 2020

Commitments (Constant USD, 2023)$586,212
Commitment Year•2020Country of Activity•SerbiaDirect Recipient Country of Incorporation•SerbiaSector•HealthFlow Type•Grant

Status

Project lifecycle

Completion

Pipeline: PledgePipeline: CommitmentImplementationCompletion

Timeline

Key dates

Commitment date
Apr 7, 2020
End (actual)
Jul 30, 2020

Stakeholders

Organizations involved in projects and activities supported by financial and in-kind transfers from Chinese government and state-owned entities

Funding agencies

State-owned companies

  • Zijin Mining Group Co., Ltd.

Cofinancing agencies

Private Sector

  • BGI Group

Receiving agencies

Government Agencies

  • Government of Serbia

Implementing agencies

Private Sector

  • BGI Group

Loan description

Zijin Mining Group Ltd. donates 2nd Fire Eye COVID-19 testing lab built by BGI in Nis, Serbia in 2020

Narrative

Full Description

Project narrative

On April 7th, 2020, Agriculture Minister Branislav Nedimovic announced the launch of a second Fire Eye COVID-19 testing laboratory in Nis, Serbia. On July 30th, 2020, the testing lab was opened. Sometime between its announcement and completion, China Zijin Mining Group Ltd. donated 500,000 euro to the lab in Serbia. The Chinese BGI Group built the laboratory and additionally provided funding. The first Fire Eye COVID-19 testing lab was opened in Belgrade, Serbia on April 20th, 2020, and was also built by BGI Group.

Staff comments

1. One source ("Serbia to launch COVID-19 laboratory in Nis") reports that Agriculture Minister Branislav Nedimovic stated that the lab in Nis would additionally be financed via a donation from the Chinese Government. Xinhua reports twice, once the lab had opened and prior, that the Government of Serbia had financed the lab, with the only additional financing mentioned being that from China Zijin Mining Group Ltd. AidData has chosen to not create an additional project for a donation from the Chinese government given that (1) the reporting from Xinhua is more detailed and explicit and (2) the article citing the Chinese government was published before the laboratory was complete. However, this issue warrants further investigation.