As the season of golden autumn arrives, it’s time to yield fruitful harvest.

As the tenth anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative approaches, a letter of gratitude from the distant African nation of Gambia arrives. This ethusiastic letter expresses the Gambian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy’s full recognition of the significant contributions made by China International Engineering Consulting Corporation (CIECC) in the feasibility study of the power improvement project in the Greater Banjul Area. It extends heartfelt thanks to CIECC for assisting Gambia in improving its electrical infrastructure, which will benefit the Gambian people promptly and effectively, and for promoting exchanges and cooperation between Gambia and China.

The letter details that, on behalf of the Chinese government, CIECC dispatched a project team that conducted an on-the-ground feasibility study from May 28 to June 11, 2023. The team forwent their rest periods, carrying out more than 10 front-line field research sessions and nearly 10 seminars in just two weeks. They determined the scope and implementation details of China’s aid, addressing Gambia’s most urgent needs with advanced and scientific solutions, which were highly appreciated by the Gambian side. This culminated in the Meeting Minutes for the Power Improvement Project in the Greater Banjul Area of Gambia, symbolizing an important interim achievement for the project. The team’s diligent work, expert skills and profound sense of mission and responsibility are a true reflection of the friendship between Gambia and China and of China’s genuine assistance to Africa. The Gambian side highly praises the CIECC team and looks forward to further friendly cooperation on other projects between the two countries, aspiring to jointly forge a bright future for the Gambia-China relationship.

In March 2023, commissioned by the China International Development Cooperation Agency, the Overseas Economic Cooperation Department of CIECC was tasked with the feasibility study for the Power Improvement Project in the Greater Banjul Area of Gambia (the Project for short). CIECC dispatched a survey team to Gambia from May 28 to June 13, 2023 (Beijing time), to conduct the feasibility research and investigation.

The power cooperation project in Gambia has been ongoing for seven years without any significant progress. The Gambian government has great expectations for the aid project from China, with the President of Gambia repeatedly inquiring about its status. Yet, before the CIECC survey team’s arrival, there were uncertainties regarding the Gambian assistance needs, as well as the scope, content and plan of the aid project, all while contending with the limited scale of Chinese aid funds. Faced with these challenges, the survey team was under immense pressure to finalize the plan and build consensus between both parties within the tight two-week timeframe.

Confronting the pressure head-on and tackling the challenges, the survey team set out to work closely with the Gambian electrical authorities at the kick-off meeting. Together, they established a detailed work plan with half-day precision, identified research locations, set clear objectives, and compiled an exhaustive list of the necessary information, while forming a joint working group. The CIECC survey team then engaged in an intensive “5+2, day+night” work mode, pushing the boundaries of time to make swift progress. Mornings were spent on-site gathering research data, afternoons were used to organize findings and discuss potential solutions, and evenings were dedicated to reviewing and understanding the materials provided by the Gambian side. Leveraging the 8-hour time difference between China and Gambia, the team efficiently communicated content that needed verification back to their Chinese colleagues, who would then provide feedback to the survey team in Gambia by the next morning.

In an incredibly brief period of two weeks, the survey team visited more than ten areas with electrical shortages or no electricity at all, including key transmission lines. They conducted 8 solution-focused discussions and progress report meetings. Endeavoring to thoroughly understand the situation and secure detailed information, the survey team persevered through all obstacles to fulfill their mission. Ultimately, through the collaborative efforts of the China-Gambia Working Group, the inspection work was completed successfully. At the project briefing meeting, the team’s proposal was recognized as technically mature, advanced and well-suited to Gambia’s current conditions, effectively addressing the nation’s most pressing needs. This was highly acknowledged by the Gambian Minister of Petroleum and Energy and all attendees. On behalf of the Chinese government, representatives from the survey team and the Gambian side signed the Implementing Scope and Main Technical Specifications of the Power Improvement Project in the Greater Banjul Area.

After returning to China, the survey team continued to communicate with the Gambian side in detail, implement the plan, and simultaneously complete the domestic approval process. On September 22, through the efforts and promotion of the survey team, the Chinese Embassy in Gambia and the Gambian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, representing their respective governments, signed the Minutes of Talks on the On-site Investigation for the Feasibility of the Power Improvement Project in the Greater Banjul Area of Gambia (hereinafter referred to as the Minutes of Talks). This marked a significant breakthrough in China-Gambia power cooperation, representing a new milestone in the practical cooperation between the two countries.

The Gambian side highly commended the survey team for their professionalism, exceptional work capacity and technical expertise. A week after the team’s departure from Gambia, the Minister of Petroleum and Energy of Gambia personally sent a letter to the Chinese Embassy in Gambia, praising the team’s on-site work. Following the signing of the Minutes of Talks, the Minister of Petroleum and Energy of Gambia also specifically wrote to CIECC to express his thanks and his eagerness to further collaborate with CIECC in the future.

As a committed promoter of the high-quality advancement of the Belt and Road Initiative, CIECC will integrate the unique Chinese assessment philosophies with the requirements of international development cooperation, further enhance multi-sector cooperation with countries globally, foster the high-quality progress of the Belt and Road Initiative, and collectively create a new vibrant chapter for the community with a shared future for mankind.