Africa-Press – Angola. The Zambian Head of State, Hakainde Hichilema, has already left the province of Benguela, after participating in the ceremony for the transfer of the concession of rail services and logistics support for the Lobito Corridor to the Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium.
The act took place yesterday in the railway port city of Lobito and was also witnessed by their Angolan and Democratic Congolese counterparts, João Lourenço and Félix Tshisekedi, respectively, countries linked to the Lobito Corridor project.
At Catumbela airport, the Zambian President received farewell greetings from the provincial governor, Luís Nunes, and members of the Executive.
The concession contract signing ceremony was marked by the intervention of the three statesmen, in addition to the governor of Benguela, Luís Nunes, the ministers of Transport, Ricardo de Abreu, of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Social Communication, Mário Oliveira, and from Trafigura’s Chairman of the Executive Committee, Jeremy Weir.
On the occasion, the fiber optic connection between Angola and Zambia, via video call, was also inaugurated.
The Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium is made up of Trafigura, Vecturis and Mota Engil. He was considered the winner of the international competition on November 4, 2022.
He will be responsible for transporting heavy loads as well as maintaining the infrastructure of the Benguela Railway (CFB).
For its part, the CFB will be responsible for transporting passengers and lighter loads.
The Lobito Corridor extends from the port of Lobito, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, and crosses Angola from West to East, passing through the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Bié and Moxico.
It covers the mining areas of Katanga province in the DRC and Copperbelt in Zambia.
The corridor represents the shortest route to a port from the mineral-rich areas of DRC and Zambia.
Privately managed, the Lobito Corridor includes the Port of Lobito, the Mineiro Terminal, the Catumbela Airport and the Benguela Railway.
For SADC, the aforementioned corridor is seen as an important means of development for the region, with benefits for Angola and neighboring countries (DRC and Zambia).
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