Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has called on Zambia, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to move beyond policy commitments and transform the Lobito Corridor into a major driver of trade, investment, industrialisation and job creation.
Speaking at the 2nd Lobito Corridor Coordinating Meeting in Lusaka, Hichilema said the three countries must accelerate implementation of agreed projects and reforms to unlock the corridor’s full economic potential.
He said the transport and logistics corridor should strengthen regional connectivity, facilitate the movement of goods, services and people, and attract investment into productive sectors.
The Zambian leader urged the three nations to lower the cost of doing business by introducing one-stop border posts, extending border operations to 24 hours and adopting digital trade facilitation tools such as single-window systems.
He also called for stronger private-sector participation, including joint ventures involving mining companies operating along the Zambian section of the corridor, particularly the Luakano-Chingola route.
On his part, Zambia’s Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, revealed that discussions on road connectivity along the Zambian segment had been completed and procurement and construction were expected to begin soon.
Musokotwane added that negotiations on the railway component of the project were progressing.
The Lobito Corridor is a strategic transport network linking the mineral-rich regions of Zambia and the DRC to Angola’s Atlantic port of Lobito.
The corridor combines rail, road and border infrastructure and is designed to provide a shorter and more efficient export route for copper, cobalt and other commodities destined for global markets.
The project has gained increasing international attention as governments and development partners seek to improve regional trade integration, strengthen supply chains and stimulate investment in infrastructure and value-added industries across southern and central Africa.
