The China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) continues to play a vital role in fueling the growth of cross-border business cooperation. As it turns out, the BRI has created development benefits by promoting interconnections, which is catalyzed by boosting long-overdue infrastructure investment in Africa.

Answering the nation's call for the BRI to create mutual benefits, China's State-owned enterprises have been ramping up efforts in overseas infrastructure projects, especially those generating long-term improvements in livelihoods. Sinomach is a role model for such efforts among SOEs.

Bilateral effort sought to enhance energy construction in Zimbabwe

Sinomach subsidiary China National Electric Engineering Co Ltd (CNEEC) and Zimbabwe Zororo Energy Company have worked together to build the Harambe power plant, a 50-megawatt photovoltaic power station project in the African country.

An online signing ceremony is held to mark the cooperation between CNEEC and Zororo on building the Harambe power plant in Zimbabwe. [Photo/CMEC]

The project involves a 50-megawatt photovoltaic power plant and a 50-megavolt-ampere booster station, as well as transmission lines and connections within 500 meters, and includes the transformation of the substation.

China-aided sports, cultural center in Tunisia delivered

The China-aided Ben Arous Sports and Cultural Center for Youth in northeastern Tunisia has been delivered to local authorities. Sinomach subsidiary China Machinery Industry Construction Group Inc (SINOCONST) was in charge of the project's construction.

"China has proven once again that it sticks to its words, in addition to its professionalism and seriousness in completing the project," said Tunisian Sports and Youth Minister Kamel Deguiche in his field visit to the center.

Deguiche noted that this project, which constitutes "a valuable asset" for Tunisian youth, showcases the strong links between the two countries.

The Ben Arous Sports and Cultural Center for Youth, carried out with the assistance of the Chinese government, has been delivered to the local authorities. [Photo/SINOCONST]

The multidisciplinary project, which covers 15,500 square meters, includes a swimming pool, an auditorium, an indoor training room, a bowling alley, outdoor basketball courts, mini-football courts, tennis courts and a skating park, in addition to the dormitories for athletes.

The Ben Arous Sports and Cultural Center for Youth at night [Photo/SINOCONST]

The Ben Arous Sports and Cultural Center for Youth is a key project under the eight major initiatives announced at the 2018 Beijing Summit and the 7th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). It is expected to be the most well-equipped and advanced youth sports center in Tunisia.

The eight major initiatives highlight the collaboration with Africa for industrial promotion, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, green development, capacity building healthcare, people-to-people exchange, and peace and security, and delineate the blueprint for China-Africa relations in the new era, opening an ambitious chapter in China-Africa cooperation.

Sinomach helps Algeria to gain greater LNG market access with port expansion

The main pipeline of the M3 bidding section, with a total length of about 2,000 meters, of the expansion works of the Port of Skikda in Algeria, has been completed. It was undertaken by Sinomach subsidiary China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC). The next phase of construction is now under way.

The Port of Skikda is located near the mouth of the Wadi Safsaf on the Gulf of Stora on Algeria's northeastern Mediterranean coast. It has an annual throughput of 23 million tons and is the second largest petrochemical port in Algeria. The expansion and reconstruction project is one of the key infrastructure projects of the country's national oil company Sonatrach Group.

Progress of the project as it relates to the expansion of the Port of Skikda amounts to nearly 80 percent, according to a recent press release from Sonatrach Group.

Skikda, located in the Gulf of Stora in the northeast of Algeria, has an important port for oil and gas exports. [Photo/CMEC]

Algeria's Sonatrach is revitalizing liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facilities at Skikda which will boost the firm's access to markets far and wide. The project signifies that Algeria is taking a small step towards the LNG big leagues with the ongoing upgrades at its Skikda export terminal set to further extend the North African gas giant's reach beyond its traditional market of Europe.