Africa-Press – Angola. The World Bank’s Director-General of Operations, Anna Bjerde, on Thursday in Luanda, said that the Lobito Corridor has the potential to reduce the time it takes to transport minerals from production areas to the export port from 28 days to just five.
Speaking at the opening of the high-level meeting on the Coordination Mechanism for the Lobito Corridor, which is being held in Luanda with the participation of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Zambia and international partners, Anna Bjerde said that this claim is possible if coordinated investments are made in infrastructure and logistics along the regional axis.
She described the Lobito Corridor as “one of the most consequential development initiatives in Africa,” led by Angola, DRC and Zambia, with support from the private sector and development partners, underlining its potential to boost economic growth, regional integration and job creation.
According to the manager, the presence of high-level delegations and the support of partners such as the United States, the European Union, the African Development Bank, the African Finance Corporation, and Italy demonstrate the international commitment to elevating the corridor to a development priority.
She highlighted that well-governed development corridors reduce economic distances, lower costs, attract investment, and allow countries to diversify their economies.
“They connect people, businesses, and markets, creating economies of scale and increasing competitiveness,” Bjerde said.
Anna Bjerde identified three key areas to unlock the full potential of the Lobito Corridor, the first being coordinated investment in transport and logistics infrastructure, considering that the DRC and Zambia together account for more than 17 percent of world copper production and more than 70 percent of cobalt, minerals considered critical for electrification, battery production, and the global energy transition.
“The value of these resources depends on how efficiently they reach the market,” she stressed, adding that competitive corridors are crucial for reducing costs, increasing transport reliability, and strengthening regional competition.
The second opportunity highlighted is related to complementary investments to diversify local economies.
According to the World Bank official, improving logistics along the corridor can create new opportunities for agriculture and agribusiness in Angola, DRC, and Zambia by reducing losses, increasing yields, and facilitating market access, especially when combined with investments in storage and agro-processing.
Anna Bjerde also highlighted access to energy as a critical factor for development along the corridor, referring to the Mission 300 initiative, which aims to guarantee access to electricity for 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.
She stated that Angola should benefit from increased access to energy for about one million people, including cities located along the Lobito Corridor.
The third strategic area identified concerns the coordination of public policies. The World Bank’s official said that funding alone is not enough, and that it is necessary to harmonize transit regimes, border procedures, and cross-border coordination policies for the corridors to function efficiently.
She considered the launch of the Lobito Corridor coordination meeting a decisive step towards aligning infrastructure investments with policy reforms, identifying bottlenecks, and maximizing transport facilitation along the corridor.
“The Lobito Corridor is an opportunity not only to build infrastructure, but to create integrated systems and lasting connectivity, serving current and future generations,” concluded Anna Bjerde, reiterating the World Bank’s commitment to mobilizing public and private partners to support the project.
Importance of the Lobito Corridor
The Lobito Corridor is a transnational railway and logistics infrastructure project linking the Port of Lobito in Angola to the interior of Southern Africa, with a special focus on the mining regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia.
The initiative aims to create a competitive route for the transport of goods, especially minerals, connecting the production centers in the interior of the region to international markets via the Atlantic Ocean.
The central axis of the corridor is based on the Lobito–Luau railway, an integral part of the Benguela Railway, with an approximate length of 1,300 kilometers in Angolan territory and rail links to the DRC and Zambia.
Currently, the corridor handles a transport volume of approximately 125,000 tons of cargo per year, mostly minerals, and is responsible for creating more than 7,500 direct and indirect jobs throughout the logistics chain.
The operation and management of the railway infrastructure are granted to Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR), an international joint venture that holds a 30-year concession to operate, maintain, and modernize the line. The project also includes cargo and logistics terminals, maintenance centers, technical training programs, and the rehabilitation of railway stations and workshops.
From an economic and commercial standpoint, the Lobito Corridor plays a strategic role in facilitating the export of critical minerals, such as copper and cobalt, essential for global clean energy chains. The route also allows for reduced logistics costs and transport time compared to alternative corridors via the south or east of the African continent.
The project is anchored in a tripartite agreement between Angola, DRC, and Zambia, aimed at facilitating the cross-border traffic of goods and people, and benefits from support from international partners, including the World Bank, the European Union, and the United States, within the framework of investment, connectivity, and regional integration initiatives.
In addition to its economic impact, the Lobito Corridor is seen as a relevant geostrategic axis, positioning itself as an alternative to traditional export routes and as an instrument to strengthen regional integration and Southern Africa’s access to global markets.
