📋 Tender Overview
The Government is designing a plan to optimise the Lobito Corridor, to transform it into an international and transcontinental route capable of connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
The initiative, according to the President of the Republic, João Lourenço, this Wednesday, December 4, at the Multilateral Summit on the Lobito Corridor, in Benguela, aims to establish a safe connection between the American, European, African and Asian continents, reducing transport time and the costs of maritime and rail freight.
"The Lobito Corridor is of strategic importance due to the contribution it will make to boosting intra-African trade, in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area and world trade", stated João Lourenço in his opening speech.
The Angolan statesman took the opportunity to recall that the initiative began to materialize after the joint declaration between the United States and the European Union on Partnerships for Infrastructure and Global Investment, presented during the G20 Summit, held in India in 2023.
According to João Lourenço, the project will have a significant impact on regional economic development and will allow greater participation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the value chains of agriculture, industry and mining, promoting trade and inclusive growth in the SADC and East Africa regions.
"The Lobito Corridor will have a positive impact on international maritime and rail transport, international trade, energy transition and security, food security and, in general, the world economy", added the Head of State.
João Lourenço also highlighted the need for political commitment from the countries involved, in addition to the role of the financiers and the business consortium responsible for the concession, to ensure the implementation of this ambitious regional and international integration project.
"It is important that the African countries (…) directly involved, the financiers and the business consortium, which has the concession, promote the actions that are necessary for the implementation of this important project", he appealed.
The summit was attended by US President Joe Biden,
on a state visit to Angola for the first time, in addition to Presidents Félix Tshisekedi, of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Hakainde Hichilema, of Zambia, and Philip Mpango, Vice-President of Tanzania.
