Chinese companies have won three contracts with the Angolan Ministry of Energy and Water to dredge and otherwise rehabilitate 27 small reservoirs in the southwestern Angolan province of Namibe, Lusa reports.

The purpose is to improve the supply of water in the region, particularly during droughts, according to a report carried by the Portuguese news agency on Monday, which cites an official announcement made last week.

The contracts are together worth 24 billion kwanzas (about US$40.12 million), the report says.

It says Chinese state-owned Sinohydro Corp. Ltd has one contract, worth 18 million euros (about US$20.8 million), to rehabilitate 21 reservoirs.

A consortium of state-owned China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group Co. Ltd and Brazilian-owned Matra Engenharia e Construção Lda has another, worth 8 million euros, to rehabilitate six reservoirs, Lusa says.