Photos: YouTube Screenshots
African governments welcomed the Trump administration’s endorsement of the $4 billion Lobito Corridor in southern Africa.
The project to upgrade rail networks connecting Zambia and DR Congo to Angola’s Lobito port — for the transportation of critical minerals — was the centerpiece of the Biden administration’s efforts to counter China’s influence in Africa.
It had not been clear whether US President Donald Trump would give it the nod. But in a statement posted on X on Wednesday, the US State Department said it was an investment Washington “remains committed to” and “feels is very important.”
“We are very grateful,” Zambian Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said of the renewed support during a press conference in Washington, DC. Stressing the importance of the project, Angola’s Transport Minister Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu said: “It is critical for Africa that we are able to improve the quality of our infrastructure and logistics for the promotion of intra-Africa trade.”
