Guinea-Bissau Government wants to attract Chinese investment for a series of public-private partnership projects to be developed in the country throughout the next ten years. The African country’s Minister of Public Works, Construction and Urbanism, José António da Cruz Almeida said so while on a visit to Macau.

“We defined a strategic vision and went to the Round Table with a series of projects,” said Mr Almeida, referring to a donors’ meeting in March in Brussels, the Belgian capital. He added, in comments to Portuguese news agency Lusa, that 90 million euros of 1.2 billion euros [US$1,35 billion] Guinea-Bissau needs for urban infrastructure “have already been guaranteed” but that 13 programmes can be financed with help from the capital markets via public-private partnerships.

According to the Minister, the projects presented to donors included a deep-water port and the renovation of the airport in Bissau.

Mr Almeida said China, “has invested a lot in Guinea-Bissau, but more in public projects”.

He added there were also opportunities for public-private partnerships but noted they required “a long return period, and there are warranties that need to be negotiated with the banks”.

The Minister is in Macau to take part in the Ministerial Meeting on Infrastructure between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, organised by the Permanent Secretariat to the Forum for Economic and Trade Co-operation between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries. Guinea-Bissau is expected to sign technical co-operation agreements with Macau, in the field of civil engineering, and with East Timor, in the public works sector.