At present, about 2,000 Chinese live in Chad, mainly in the capital N'Djamena and in the southern regions of Shari-Baghirmi, East Logon and Silogun. There are more than 30 Chinese-funded enterprises, and there are about 1700 employees in Chinese-funded enterprises. The larger Chinese enterprises in Chad are: CNPC International (Chad) Co., Ltd., CNPC Engineering Construction (Chad) Co., Ltd., PetroChina Technology Development Co., Ltd., Great Wall Drilling (Chad) Co., Ltd., N'Djamena Refinery, China Road and Bridge, China Railway Seventh Bureau, Gezhouba Group Chaksa Scoring Company, etc.
The business scope of Chinese-funded enterprises in Chad mainly involves oil exploration and development, oil drilling, oil refining, engineering contracting, communications, steel, agriculture, agricultural products processing, logistics and transportation and other industries. At present, there are about 50 Chinese enterprises registered in Chad.
In 2020, Chinese enterprises signed 57 new contracts in Chad, with a new contract value of US$849 million and a turnover of US$537 million. A total of 497 workers of various types were dispatched, and 1730 workers were sent to Chad at the end of the year. Large-scale contracted projects under construction include PetroChina's new H block development project, information industry modernization project, 73 km southern road project, N'Djamena Chagoua Bridge, etc.
Chinese investment projects in Chad include the production of steel, plastic products, drinking water, high-temperature cloth and other products.
Chinese currently operates supermarkets, hotels, restaurants, etc. in Chad.
A Chinese company in Chad operates an industrial park: Sunshine Industrial Park
Developed by Sunshine International Company of China Petroleum Group, a subsidiary of PetroChina, there are currently 7 enterprises settled in, including Sunshine International Polypropylene Fiber Cloth Manufacturing Factory, Strong Plastic Plastic Products Factory, Kesheng Plastic Products Factory, Oasis International Plastic Products Factory, Oasis International Steel Structure Factory, SHIA Drinking Water Factory and Best Steel Factory.
In Chad Chinese salaries, PetroChina recruits about 20,000 yuan for skilled pipe welders, about 18,000 yuan for plumbers, and about 18,000 yuan for doctors recruited by PetroChina Labor Service Company. The monthly salary of the chef recruited by PetroChina is 14,000 yuan. The salary of engineers contracted for engineering contracting is about 16,000-20,000 yuan, and the monthly salary of skilled workers is about 16,000 yuan.
The Chadian state is relatively small and poor, so there are relatively few Chinese in Chad, most of the Chinese enterprises operate for PetroChina, and the main customers of restaurants, hotels and supermarkets are PetroChina. The outbreak has had a certain impact on operations, but overall the impact is not as large as in other African countries.
Chad is more investor-friendly and the business environment is constantly improving, but Chad itself has a relatively small market, and it is necessary to have an entry point and control the scale of investment.
Chad is located in central Africa, a landlocked country with an area of 1.284 million square kilometers and a population of 16.4 million. Chad is far from the sea and most of the country has a desert climate, so it is also known as the "heart of death in Africa". Chad is relatively flat, with an average altitude of 300-500 metres above sea level. The northern part belongs to the Sahara Desert or semi-desert area, covering an area of 500,000 square kilometers, accounting for 1/3 of the country's territorial area, Lake Chad is located in the west, is the fourth largest lake in Africa, the Shari River is the longest river in Chad, Chad is hot and hot all year round, the average annual temperature in most areas is above 27 °C, and the capital is N'Djamena.
There are 256 large and small tribes in Chad. The official languages of Chad are French and Arabic. The inhabitants of the south speak Sala, a Sudanese language, and Chadian Arabic, in the north.
Chad is one of the 47 least developed countries in the world by the United Nations, with its economy lagging behind and a low standard of living, with more than half of its population living below the poverty line.
The official currency of Chad is the Central African Franc, a currency issued by the Bank of the States of the Economic Community of Central African States, which is the official currency of Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Chad and the Central African Republic.
Landlocked countries, their own backward industries, basic necessities are imported, resulting in high prices in Chad, the capital N'Djamena is the world's second highest cost of living for foreigners.
Chad is rich in oil resources, with the World Bank assessing Chad's oil reserves at more than 2 billion barrels, and oil is the country's pillar industry.
Chad is a traditional agricultural and pastoral country, one of the four major cotton-producing countries in Africa and a major livestock producing country in Central Africa. The national arable land area is 39 million hectares, and 4.5 million hectares of arable land have been cultivated. The main food crops are sorghum, maize and millet, while the main cash crops are cotton, gum arabic, tobacco, peanuts, sesame seeds, sugar cane, etc.
The security situation in Chad is not good, and the number of security incidents involving Chinese personnel has increased, and it is recommended that you try not to walk on the streets, let alone go out alone at night. Important documents and valuables such as passports should be kept in good care, and theft and robbery often occur in commercial areas and markets. If you need to travel to other provinces, you need to apply for a permit from the Ministry of the Interior in advance and, if possible, equip the military police to accompany the convoy.
In 2021, the bilateral trade volume between China and Chad was 824.89 million US dollars, of which China exported 562.07 million US dollars and imported 262.81 million US dollars.
China's export products are mainly mechanical and electrical products, steel, textiles, building materials, shoes, daily necessities and other products, and imported products are mainly crude oil, cotton and agricultural products.
According to data released by the International Monetary Fund in April 2022, Chad's total GDP in 2021 is 11.8 billion US dollars, and Chad's per capita GDP is 697 US dollars.
The average monthly wage for the average worker is $140, and the average monthly wage for a skilled worker is $180. The monthly salary income of civil servants is between 260-350 US dollars.
About author:: After graduation, I worked in an import and export company of a central enterprise, and have been responsible for African projects and travel to Africa all year round. He has been stationed in Tanzania for 4 years, Uganda for 1 year, has been to more than 30 countries in Africa, is familiar with Africa, and is now retired.
This article is an investment article in the African market, if you have gained, please give you praise and encouragement, and welcome comments.
Reference: Guide to investment cooperation written by the Chinese Economic and Commercial Office in Chad
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