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The President of Angola, João Lourenço, stated on Thursday, the 5th, in Luanda, that the Lobito Corridor should serve as a true engine of economic transformation, driving agribusiness development, promoting industrial processing, strengthening regional value chains, and creating sustainable economic opportunities—particularly through the generation of decent jobs, with special focus on young people and women. He emphasized that economic growth must translate into tangible improvements in the quality of life of populations living in the areas covered by the corridor.
Speaking at the opening of the Inaugural Coordination Meeting of the Lobito Corridor, the Angolan Head of State stressed the importance of ensuring that the corridor’s backbone—its rail, road, and energy infrastructure—is fully rehabilitated and interconnected to guarantee efficiency and competitiveness.
“The Lobito Corridor has been consolidating itself as a fundamental axis linking Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia, with enormous potential to boost trade, production, logistics, and economic transformation across our region, by connecting the Atlantic Ocean to productive inland areas,” President Lourenço said.
According to the Angolan leader, the corridor can become a genuine development platform and a driver of the African Continental Free Trade Area, contributing to regional economic integration and facilitating intra-African trade, with significant benefits for economies and populations alike.
He further noted that it is both relevant and strategic to complete the rehabilitation of the railway segment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as the implementation of rail and road links in Zambia, alongside the interconnection of Angola’s energy transmission network with the region—bringing benefits to populations and productive activities in both neighboring countries.
“Without this effort, the realization of an effective development corridor for our countries, integrated into the global economy, will become far more challenging,” he underlined.
President Lourenço highlighted that Angola has recorded positive and sustained economic growth in recent years, supported by ongoing macroeconomic stabilization efforts and economic diversification, aimed at creating better conditions for transformative investments and strengthening confidence and predictability for long-term projects.
He emphasized that Angola’s partnerships with institutions such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the European Union, the United States of America, as well as other multilateral, bilateral, and private-sector partners, have been decisive in advancing the project by supporting institutional reforms and enhancing credibility for new investors.
“In this context, I would like to highlight a concrete sign of the transition from vision to execution. On December 17, 2025, a financing agreement worth 753 million US dollars was signed for Lobito Atlantic Rail, including 553 million dollars from the U.S. Development Finance Corporation and 200 million dollars from the Development Bank of Southern Africa, aimed at supporting the rehabilitation and modernization of the railway axis and associated logistics components of the Lobito Corridor,” the President announced.
He stressed that this step is significant not only because it confirms the corridor’s capacity to mobilize structured, long-term financing, but also because it reinforces the project’s credibility and bankability, creating a demonstration effect for new investors. At the same time, it imposes greater collective responsibility to ensure that signed financing is translated into concrete works, efficient operations, implemented reforms, and measurable results.
For this reason, President Lourenço said it is essential that the goodwill surrounding the Lobito Corridor be transformed into operational decisions and effective implementation instruments. “We need to align priorities, define roadmaps, establish responsibilities, and create monitoring mechanisms that ensure real, measurable, and lasting impact,” he stated.
According to the Head of State, Angola reaffirms its commitment to this vision of regional cooperation, institutional strengthening, and close, transparent partnerships with all development partners.
“We are confident that by working in an aligned and coordinated manner, we will succeed in transforming the Lobito Corridor into a true catalyst for inclusive and sustainable development. The Lobito Corridor is more than an infrastructure project—it is a project of trust, integration, and a shared future,” he concluded.
However, he stressed that true success will be measured not only in kilometers of railway or volumes of cargo transported, but in the impact it has on people’s lives—young people with jobs, families with income, communities with new opportunities, and more resilient economies.
“Angola reaffirms its commitment to cooperative leadership and responsible execution, with transparency and a sense of urgency, so that results are visible in the daily lives of our citizens,” he assured.
