The United States has reaffirmed its interest in supporting the development of the Lobito Corridor, considered a strategic route for strengthening regional connectivity, economic integration and new opportunities for cooperation among Southern African countries. The position was expressed on Tuesday by James Wolfe, Director of the Office of Analysis for Africa at the US Department of State, during a visit to the Lobito Port Company in Benguela Province.
Accompanied by a delegation from the US Embassy in Angola, James Wolfe toured the port facilities, reviewed the company’s operational performance and learned about ongoing modernisation and expansion projects. The US official highlighted the corridor’s role in strengthening trade and logistics links between Angola, neighbouring countries and international markets, at a time when rail operations and cargo volumes along the route are increasing.
Figures released by the Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) indicate that the company expects to move around 400,000 tonnes of cargo in 2026, compared with approximately 265,000 tonnes in 2025, representing growth of about 51 percent. Since operations began in January 2024, the concessionaire has recorded steady growth in volumes transported, after moving around 96,000 tonnes in its first year of activity.
LAR board member Ottoniel Manuel said this week, during the Angola Hub Transport and Logistics Summit in Luanda, that the Lobito Corridor should evolve from a transport infrastructure into a driver of regional economic development. According to the official, the rail journey between Kolwezi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Port of Lobito takes seven to eight days, at least 20 days less than the equivalent journey by road.
During his visit to the Port of Lobito, James Wolfe held a working meeting with the Board of Directors of the Lobito Port Company, which presented information on operational activity, investments already made and prospects for infrastructure growth. Chairman of the Board Celso Rosas described the visit as an opportunity to strengthen institutional dialogue and deepen cooperation and strategic partnerships around the corridor’s development.
LAR, which is responsible for freight rail operations between Lobito and the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as for operating the Mineral Terminal at the Port of Lobito, works under a 30-year concession that includes the modernisation, maintenance and operation of around 1,300 kilometres of railway line. The company currently employs about 1,000 workers, 97 percent of them Angolan, and estimates that its activities support approximately 2,000 indirect jobs.
30/09/2026
