Lobito Corridor Countries Agree on Steps to Boost Trade and Jobs
Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have agreed on a set of concrete, coordinated actions to accelerate the development of the Lobito Corridor, a strategic transport and economic route expected to lower trade costs, expand regional commerce and create jobs for millions of citizens.
The agreement was reached at a high-level coordination meeting hosted by the Government of Angola in partnership with the World Bank, bringing together ministers responsible for finance, transport, trade and infrastructure from the three countries, alongside major development and financing partners.
These included the African Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, the European Union, the European Investment Bank, the United Nations and the World Bank Group, as well as bilateral partners from France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States.
Opening the meeting on Thursday, Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço emphasised that the Lobito Corridor must be treated as a development corridor rather than merely a railway or logistics project. He urged participating countries to move decisively from coordination to delivery, focusing on practical outcomes that reduce transport delays, cut trade costs and fully operationalise rail links across Angola, the DRC and Zambia, while opening an efficient Atlantic gateway for regional growth.
More than 30 million people live across the three corridor countries. Ministers agreed that the project must go beyond moving cargo to connecting production centres to markets, transforming improved connectivity into income generation, enterprise development and sustainable employment.
At the close of the inaugural meeting, the three governments endorsed a series of priority actions. These include the development of a Lobito Corridor Development Master Plan to provide a shared implementation framework with clear milestones and accountability. They also agreed on a common definition of an economic corridor, ensuring harmonised standards, aligned priorities and consistent implementation across borders and sectors.
In addition, the countries resolved to establish a joint investment platform to mobilise public and private capital at scale. The platform will link transport and logistics infrastructure to industrial yards, production zones and processing hubs, while attracting investment into agribusiness, energy, urban development and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Commitments were also made to advance trade facilitation and border reforms, aimed at streamlining procedures, reducing bottlenecks and improving the movement of goods and people along the corridor.
To support implementation, partners agreed to expand technical assistance and capacity building, strengthen coordination mechanisms and enhance support to the Lobito Transport Trade Facilitation Agency. The Democratic Republic of the Congo was selected to host the second coordination meeting as the process moves from alignment to execution.
Zambia’s Minister of Finance and National Planning, Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane, MP, described the Lobito Corridor as a strategic national priority for Zambia. He said the initiative would help diversify exports, lower transport and logistics costs, and provide more efficient access to Atlantic markets, strengthening competitiveness in mining, agriculture and value-addition industries.
Dr Musokotwane noted that the shift from planning to delivery opens immediate opportunities for Zambian firms, working alongside international partners, in construction, engineering, logistics, freight services and energy supply. Once fully operational, the corridor is expected to sustain long-term private sector activity in freight handling, mineral processing, agri-logistics and industrial parks, supporting ongoing job creation rather than one-off projects.
He encouraged Zambia’s business community and development partners to position early and align investments with corridor priorities, not only in building infrastructure but also in operating and scaling the economic ecosystems that will underpin the corridor’s long-term success.
The Zambian delegation to the Luanda meeting included Ministers of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development, and of Transport and Logistics, senior officials from the Presidential Delivery Unit and Cabinet Office, permanent secretaries from key ministries, and Zambia’s Ambassador to Angola. Officials said this reflected a whole-of-government approach focused on coordination, delivery and accountability.
The outcomes of the Luanda engagement come as Zambia consolidates recent economic stabilisation and shifts towards growth, investment and job creation. Government officials said the agreements reached mark a turning point towards unlocking practical opportunities for businesses, workers and communities, reinforcing confidence that the Lobito Corridor will attract investment, expand trade, reduce costs and deliver inclusive, broad-based growth across the region.
