Angola: United States strengthens support for Lobito corridor

Samantha Power, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), visited Benguela province in Lobito on April 25 to support the priority project of the Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership: the Lobito corridor.

This project aims to connect the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to regional and global trade markets via the Lobito port. During her visit, Samantha Power met with local farmers and government partners to discuss the project's progress.

The Lobito Corridor, managed by the "Lobito Atlantic Railway" consortium for a period of 30 years, includes the Lobito port, the mining terminal and the Benguela railway, which extends 1,344 kilometers to the eastern border of Angola.

This corridor is of crucial importance as a major route for the movement of raw materials and goods in Southern Africa, thereby strengthening regional and global trade.

With a focus on economic development and transparency, the United States allocated $5 million to women farmers in the provinces crossed by the Lobito corridor. Additionally, Samantha Power announced $3.5 million in funding to promote greater transparency in public procurement in Angola, strengthening the partnership between USAID and the Angolan government.

This visit highlights the commitment of the United States to the development of Angola and strengthens ties between the two countries, highlighting that the Lobito corridor benefits from the financial support of the European Union and the United States, within the framework of competition with China for access to cobalt and copper.