Benguela – United States President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday in Benguela an additional investment of US$600 million for the expansion of agricultural infrastructure, construction of high-speed mobile networks and continuing to reform the Lobito Railway.
Biden was speaking at the Multilateral Summit on the Lobito Corridor, the last stage of his three-day visit to Angola.
He said the United States understands the importance of investing in Africa and the Global Infrastructure and Investment Partnership (PGI) has that goal.
Regarding the Lobito Corridor, Biden recalled that months ago the Democratic Republic of Congo sent the first shipment of copper, a trip that used to take 45 days to reach the United States and now takes less than 45 hours, due to the changes made.
'My message is very clear, simple, let's keep going. I said that the United States would invest US$4 billion around the Lobito Corridor, we are not alone in this endeavor, collectively this group applies more than US$6 billion of public and private sector investments,' he stressed.
According to Biden, it is not only investments in the region, but also in everyone's future, as the critical miners, needed for semiconductors and electric vehicles can be found here, as well as the clean energy, needed to supply electricity to artificial intelligence centers.
The American President highlighted the work carried out so far and the importance of this corridor, noting that all investments in this road were designed to have a high impact and comply with the highest standards for workers, the environment and the community.
He referred to businesses that are being developed along the corridor in 5G, solar panels and steel bridges, among others.
'I really wanted everyone to see what I saw today, railroad tracks that will constitute the first transcontinental railway in Africa, wagons that will shorten the journey hours, silos, barns that will transform the region from grain importers into exporters,' said the head of state who previously visited Carrinho Grupo manufacturing unit, one of the largest in the country. ART/DOJ
