Mauritania Awards Building of N’Diago Port to China’s Controversial Polytechnology

Chinese Polytechnology company, specialized in defense equipment, which has been under fire in Africa and around the world for bribery and money laundering, will build a military and commercial port at the Mauritanian city of N’Diago, sitting on the bank of Senegal River, few miles from the Senegalese city of St. Louis, reports say.

The project will cost some $325 million fully funded by the Mauritania government.

The Chinese company won the contract thanks to the good ties between Nouakchott and Beijing.

According to online media africatime.com, the Chinese company has been blacklisted in Nigeria, Namibia and Zimbabwe. In Nigeria the company was accused by the media of being connected to a money laundry case involving a Nigerian official under former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan.

In Namibia and Zimbabwe, it was accused of bribery and corruption of state officials.

The project includes a military port, a naval port, a fishing harbor and seven docks that could serve for commercial purpose. The complex, according to Mauritanian authorities, will change the image of the city and revolutionize the region.

The project, after completion, will open a trade and transport route from the Senegal River bank stretching all the way down to Mali.

The new project will also endow Mauritania with a shipyard capable of producing 70 vessels per year, reports say.