LUANDA, Dec. 4 — President Joe Biden met with leaders from Angola, Congo, and Zambia in Lobito to discuss the expansion of the Lobito railway project, an infrastructure plan supported by a $550 million U.S. loan to improve regional trade and mineral transport.
The project’s first phase involves refurbishing a 1,300-kilometer rail network from Angola’s Lobito port to Congo’s mineral-rich regions. Discussions also covered a proposed second phase to extend the railway to Zambia and potentially connect it to Tanzania’s port of Dar es Salaam, with construction slated to begin in 2026.
During the summit, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema called the corridor “vital” for boosting trade and regional integration. He joined Biden and Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi in talks on attracting investment and promoting stability to unlock the economic potential of central Africa’s mineral wealth.
The Lobito railway concession, granted in 2022 to a consortium of Western companies, is viewed as a key move to reduce dependence on China’s dominance over critical mineral routes. The U.S. Development Finance Corporation has funded feasibility studies for the second phase, while additional financing for renewable energy, telecommunications, and mineral projects was announced this week.
Angola, which has cultivated ties with both China and Russia, used the summit to signal closer engagement with the West. The meeting also featured Tanzanian Vice President Philip Mpango, reflecting broader regional interest in the corridor’s development.
