The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Félix Tshisekedi arrived in the coastal province of Benguela Tuesday morning to participate in the transfer ceremony of the concession of railway services and the logistics to support the Lobito Corridor.
The ceremony takes place in the railway port city of Lobito and will also be witnessed by their Angolan and Zambian counterparts, João Lourenço and Hakainde Hichilema, respectively.
These are countries linked to the Lobito Corridor project.
At Catumbela airport, President Félix Tshisekedi was welcomed by the provincial governor, Luís Nunes, and members of the Executive.
The three Presidents are expected to address the ceremony.
The programme also features the inauguration of the fiber optic link between Angola and Zambia, via video call.
The Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium comprises Trafigura, Vecturis and Mota Engil companies, considered the winner of the international tender on November 4, 2022.
It will be responsible for transporting heavy loads as well as maintaining the infrastructure of the Benguela Railway (CFB).
While CFB will be in charge of transporting passengers and lighter loads.
The Lobito Corridor extends from the port of Lobito, bathed by the Atlantic Ocean, and crosses Angola from West to East, passing through the provinces of Benguela, Huambo, Bié and Moxico.
It covers the mining areas of Katanga province in the DRC and Copperbelt in Zambia.
For the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the corridor is seen as an important means of development in the region, with benefits for Angola and neighboring countries (DRC and Zambia).
Source: Angola Press News Agency (APNA)