João Lourenço was speaking at the industrial complex of Grupo Carrinho, the largest national agri-food company, at a summit on the Lobito Corridor that was attended by his counterparts North American, Joe Biden, on his last day of visiting the country, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, of Zambia, Haikande Hichilema and the vice-president of Tanzania, Philip Mpango.
The topic was the strategic importance of this infrastructure designed to connect, by rail, the Angolan coast (Atlantic Ocean) to the Indian Ocean, facilitating the transport of critical minerals and agricultural products, among other goods.
João Lourenço argues that the political commitment of everyone involved in the project is "an undeniable fact", and it is also important that the African countries directly involved, the financiers and the business consortium that has the concession, "promote the actions that are necessary for the completion of this important project", with positive impacts on international maritime and rail transport, international trade, energy transition and security, and food security.
The President reinforced the commitment of Angola, "which lives in a situation of peace and stability", with its obligations, highlighting that the objective is to project the optimization of this important infrastructure as an integral part of an international and transcontinental route, which "safely connects the American, European, African and Asian continents with gains in transport times and sea and rail freight costs".
João Lourenço highlighted the Corridor's contribution to boosting intra-African trade, in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area and world trade.
It will be "a driving factor for economic development that will provide the growing participation of Small and Medium-sized Companies in business value chains, especially in agriculture, industry and mining", he said.
The Lobito Corridor is the main focus of the state visit to Angola, which ends this Wednesday, by the North American President, Joe Biden.
