LIBREVILLE, July 3 -- The Gabonese government and China State Construction Enginnering (CSCEC) have signed an agreement for the construction of a football stadium in Port Gentil, Gabon's commercial capital, an official source has said.

The spokesman for Gabonese presidency Alain Claude Bilie Bi Nze said on Thursday in Libreville that the stadium will be used to host the 2017 African Cup of Nations (CAN 2017).

According to the contract signed between Gabon and the Chinese firm, the 20,000-seater stadium will be constructed for a period of18 months.

"President Ali Bongo Ondimba will lay the foundation stone for this sports structure in mid-July," Bi Nze said.

Besides this stadium whose cost was not revealed, Gabon will construct another stadium with a 30,000 sitting capacity in the northern town of Oyem.

According to note released by the Confederation of African Football, CAN 2017 will be played in four Gabonese towns that include Port Gentil, Franceville, Oyem and Libreville which has two stadia, one of them constructed by China in 2012.

In 2012, Gabon co-hosted CAN with Equatorial Guinea.

To host a successful tournament, Gabon is expected to invest in a number of infrastructures that include stadia, hotels and urban roads.