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When US President Joe Biden touches down in Angola’s capital next week for a three-day visit, the big question will be how President João Lourenço’s government’s close relationship with the White House will fare with an unpredictable Donald Trump.
At stake is the US-backed Lobito Corridor project which entails building and revamping railways to connect Angola’s Lobito port to critical mineral hubs in neighboring Zambia and DR Congo. The US has helped mobilize $5 billion so far for the project.
Biden will undoubtedly highlight the corridor, which also includes digital connectivity, agribusiness and green energy projects, as an exemplar of the investment the US should support to counter Chinese influence in Africa.
Angolans and US-Africa watchers who spoke with Semafor Africa believe a Trump White House will keep the Lobito Corridor in place, based on previous comments from likely US-Africa operatives in his orbit. Luis Lelis, chief executive of BAI, Angola’s biggest bank by assets, said the corridor’s implementation would give the country’s agribusiness sector a big boost and “create jobs for the youth.”
