Africa-Press – Angola. The minister of the North-West province of Zambia, Robert Lihefu, highlighted, this Monday, in the city of Solwezi, in Zambia, that his country is interested in the Lobito Corridor for inter-regional development , as it is a “project and a strong route to connect strong nations from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean”.
The minister (equivalent to provincial governor) of the Northwest province of Zambia made these statements in a courtesy meeting he held with the governor of Moxico, Ernesto Muangala, and his delegation, who will be part of the II Meeting of the Forum for Regional Cooperation and Cultural Exchange between the provinces of Moxico (Angola) and Noroeste (Zambia), taking place from the 4th to the 7th of this month.
In the first phase, the Lobito Corridor project, selected among 40 European and North American investment projects, aims to expand the railway line, which could become the main railway transport infrastructure connecting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia to global markets through Angola. From Zambia and DRC it could extend to Tanzania and, ultimately, the Indian Ocean.
The Lobito Railway Corridor extends, in Angola, for almost 1,300 kilometers, passing through the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Bié and Moxico. Furthermore, the infrastructure continues in the Democratic Republic of Congo to Solwezi, in Zambia, a distance of 400 kilometers. The Corridor is also linked to the extensive railway network managed by the Congo National Railway Society.
For the governor of Noroeste, a province bordering Moxico, the project will facilitate commercial transactions and exports of copper and nickel, since the region is the second largest producer of copper in the world and has the largest nickel reserves in the world. .
He also highlighted the importance of the cooperation forum which, according to him, could increase the strengthening of partnerships in the areas of commerce, cultural development, business opportunities, to generate employment for young people and, above all, women, without neglecting the areas of health , education, defense and security, among others.
From this perspective, the governor of Moxico, Ernesto Muangala, highlighted that the current global context brings challenges and many uncertainties, which is why interaction is prioritized to develop cooperation that meets citizens’ expectations.
Muangala argued that it is also necessary to expand and interconnect the road and railway networks, with Angola making a “great effort” in the recovery and construction of infrastructure, such as the Lobito corridor, which will facilitate interconnection and movement of people and goods between the Atlantic and Indian oceans.
He reiterated that “in the near future”, the construction of the branch in the province of Moxico, from the municipality of Luacano, which will connect Zambia, passing through the province of Noroeste to guarantee greater connections and commercial exchanges.
According to the official, Angola is investing “seriously” in the field of telecommunications, with emphasis on ANGOSAT II, which is able to provide services in the Southern African region.
“Entrepreneurs from the Northwest province and Zambians, in general, find in Angola, and in Moxico, in particular, a good investment environment, through the benefits and tax exemptions provided for in current legislation, granting privileged treatment to investors interested in installation and implementation of businesses and business partnerships”, assured Ernesto Muangala when reiterating the invitation to the Zambian business community to invest in the country.
For Tuesday, the second day of the Forum, visits to agricultural farms, mining and energy projects are planned, as happened with the Kansanshi mine, the largest in the country, which employs more than seven thousand employees, operated in an area 10 kilometers long and five kilometers wide.
This initiative by the Moxico government, in establishing cooperation agreements with the neighboring provinces of Zambia, aims to fulfill the desire of the presidents of Angola, João Lourenço, and Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, at the beginning of 2023, to explore the strategic potential of the River Corridor. Lobito.
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