Luanda - The visit of US President Joe Biden to Angola on December 2 to 4, will certainly give a new boost to cooperation between the two countries, which is currently considered stronger than in the last 30 years of diplomatic relations.
By Santos Rosa, ANGOP journalist
The first visit to the country by a US President, the visit is a diplomatic victory for the Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, who, since the beginning of his mandate in 2017, has made closer relations with the US a top priority.
The highlight of João Lourenço's strategy was a visit to the White House in December 2023, during which the two statesmen discussed projects being implemented in Angola, with Biden calling the partnership between the two “more important than ever”.
“We meet at a historic moment. The partnership between Angola and the United States is more important than ever,” Biden said on the occasion in the Oval Office, the US leader's office, built in 1909 by President William Howard Taft and where foreign dignitaries are received on state visits.
During the tête-à-tête, President Joe Biden promised to visit Angola before the end of his term, to see that some projects are being carried out in the country, with the Lobito Corridor being vital in economic relations between the two states and a lever for the economic diversification of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia.
The project brings together the Port of Lobito and the Benguela Railway, with funding of more than one billion US dollars, and is considered to be the largest ever US rail investment in Africa. It will help improve infrastructure and make Angola an exporter of food products.
The Lobito Corridor is of strategic importance to the region, as it will contribute to promote food and energy security for Angola, the DRC and Zambia, as well as creating jobs in all three countries.
On this visit, President Biden is focusing on food security, which will be discussed at a forum to be held in Lobito city, Benguela province, with the participation of the Presidents of Angola, the DRC, Zambia and Tanzania.
The development of the Lobito Corridor is considered to be of the utmost importance for all those involved in this large-scale project with both an internal and external impact.
Prosperity, climate change and food security are among the main issues of interest to Angola and the US, which is why they will be at the center of the official talks between the two countries' delegations, as well as at the forum taking place at the Carrinhos Group Industrial Complex.
Agribusiness, the food industry, the processing of raw materials, particularly minerals critical for maintenance, and the growth of the global automotive industry, which will circulate and cross borders to international markets, will enter a more efficient, profitable and attractive phase for national and foreign investors, as will services and tourism.
Regional impact
Investment in the Lobito Corridor will enable the renovation of sections of the railway line and associated infrastructure, guaranteeing the acquisition of a further 1,500 wagons and 35 locomotives, creating a new and efficient route for the transportation of goods, which will reduce traffic and improve the dynamics of regional trade.
It is expected to generate significant employment opportunities and stimulate economic activity in the connected areas. In addition, communities along the Corridor will benefit from improved infrastructure, better access to services and better economic prospects, boosting regional growth and stability, as well as ensuring food security.
Transportation and logistics, essential pillars of the economic growth strategy, can help Angola secure its place as one of the main industrial hubs in Africa, with the capacity to compete in global markets and promote inclusive and sustainable development, with the strong contribution of the Lobito Corridor.
By signing regional and international trade agreements such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the country has created new opportunities for Angolan industries to explore emerging markets in Africa and other parts of the world, and the Lobito Corridor will play a decisive role.
The expectation is that this infrastructure will unlock the enormous potential of the region, strengthen the export possibilities of Angola, the DRC and Zambia, as well as creating added value and jobs through investments and other measures, with the support of the European Union and the USA, which are taking a co-directing role in the development of the Corridor.
This includes investments in infrastructure, measures to facilitate trade and transit, investments in related sectors to foster sustainable and inclusive growth, capital (agricultural value chains, energy, transportation/logistics, education and technical-vocational training) along the Corridor in Angola, the DRC and Zambia.
Hence, when the transport infrastructure linking the three countries is fully operational, the line will increase export possibilities for Zambia, the DRC and Angola, strengthen the regional circulation of goods and promote mobility and food security for the people of these countries.
By significantly reducing the average transportation time, the Corridor will reduce logistics costs and the carbon footprint for the export of metals and agricultural products and items, and for the future development of mineral discoveries.
The Lobito Corridor is a route for people and goods made up of road and rail infrastructures, which crosses Angola from Lobito to Luau, passes through Kolwesi and Lunbumbashi, in the DRC, enters Zambia through Chingola and ends in Ndola, where there are rail links to ports in the Indian Ocean, namely in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Beira (Mozambique) and Durban (South Africa).
The strategic importance of the Lobito Corridor was emphasized by President João Lourenço during his visit to the US, in talks with Joe Biden, when he said that the infrastructure would not only benefit Angola.
“It's a new page opening up in economic relations between the United States and the African continent,” said the Angolan statesman at the time.
In addition to the issues mentioned above, President Biden will learn about the country's electrification projects, in which the US company Sun Africa is involved.
This company is responsible for installing a photovoltaic solar power plant in Biópio, Benguela province, which will produce 188.8 megawatts (MW) of electricity, making it the largest solar power project in Angola, with 509,40 solar panels.
Sun Africa also built the Baía Farta Solar Power Plant, which has an installed capacity of 96 megawatts and is part of a project to produce 370 MW in seven plants.
The municipalities of Saurimo, in Lunda-Sul; Lucapa (Lunda-Norte) and Luena (Moxico) have projects with more than 70 MW of power each, and Bailundo (Huambo) and Cuito (Bié) are also covered.
Peace and security
Peace and security on the African continent, particularly in the Great Lakes Region, where Angola plays a role in mediating conflicts, and investments in areas such as health and renewable energy will undoubtedly also be addressed during the US President's visit.
The US supports and encourages Angola's mediation role on the continent, especially in the conflict between the DRC and Rwanda, and therefore considers Angola a strategic ally and João Lourenço a President who deserves the trust of other partners.
Given the expressions of support for President João Lourenço's leadership and the strategic interests and partnerships that guide the political-diplomatic relations and cooperation between the two countries, it is easy to conclude that Joe Biden's visit to the country, in addition to its historical symbolism, is another step in this relationship.
The US considers Angola to be a strategic partner and a regional leader, and this partnership is fundamental to advancing the common goals of economic prosperity, food security, regional security and increased energy security in Africa and the Atlantic.
This is one of the reasons for holding the 17th US-Africa Business Summit in Luanda, Angola's capital, in 2025, with the participation of 1,500 delegates, including African heads of state, ministers of key portfolios, senior US administration officials, heads of key agencies and senior executives from US and African companies.
The holding of the US-Africa Business Summit in Angola is a significant and historic milestone, as it takes place in the same year that the country celebrates the 50th anniversary of its Independence and assumes the presidency of the African Union (AU).
The event is one of the most important business platforms. The choice of Angola as host country is proof of its remarkable progress and potential as a key player in the African economy.
It will have a continental focus, between Africa and the US, and Angola will present its industrial potential, from energy, infrastructure, agriculture to technology, to highlight investment opportunities and promote sustainable development.
The event also represents a crucial opportunity to find effective and sustainable solutions for diversifying the African economy, increasing trade and business in areas with a high impact on the lives of US and African populations and companies.
For this reason, although he is at the end of his mandate, the visit signals the US's commitment to strengthening cooperation with Angola.
President João Lourenço said in an interview to the American newspaper The New York Times that the recent elections in the United States, won by Donald Trump, would not disturb cooperation between the two countries.
In the interview, published Thursday, the American daily writes that President João Lourenço has been working hard to strengthen his country's partnership with the US.
Due to its global impact, the visit will be covered by more than 50 journalists from the US and more than 200 media professionals from around the world. SR/IZ/AMP
