What is the Lobito Corridor, cited by US Africa envoy as a model for ties?
The Lobito Corridor, held up by a US Africa envoy as a model for ties with the continent, is in focus. Washington is pursuing a trade-focused approach, while critics argue the project facilitates further plundering of resources.
The Lobito Corridor is a railway and infrastructure project linking the mining regions of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to the port of Lobito on Angola's Atlantic coast. The United States and its partners back it as a means of carrying critical minerals such as copper and cobalt to world markets.
According to Al Jazeera, the US Africa envoy held up the corridor as a model for a new, trade-focused relationship with the continent, with Washington emphasising investment and infrastructure rather than aid. Some critics argue the project serves raw-material exports more than local development and facilitates the plundering of resources.
The corridor sits at the centre of competition among major powers over Africa's critical minerals. The project's contribution to local economies will depend on future investment decisions and transparency. This article is for general information.
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