Exim Bank of China provided a FCFA 488.6 billion ($ 819 million) funding to Côte d’Ivoire to expand and rehabilitate its power grid. The funding is divided into a grant, 21 billion FCFA, and a loan, 467.6 billion FCFA.

Cost of project to which the funding is directed is FCFA 513.6 billion. Government is to provide remaining sum. Carried out by Sinomach and CNEEC, the project includes the establishment of 14 new high voltage stations and the rehabilitation of 13 existing high voltage stations. Also, 1,555 km of transmission lines will be laid, electric equipment will be purchased and 500 rural communities will be electrified.

These various realizations are part of the country’s objective to increase its actual 1540 MW of power capacity to 2886 MW by 2018 and to 4000 MW by 2020.

China is Côte d’Ivoire’s third international provider with up to FCFA 556 billion in trade in 2014. This flow is 64% above that of 2010 with only 309 billion FCFA.