Huambo - The strategy for securing the infrastructure of the Lobito Corridor dominated the meeting held on Wednesday between the commander of the Central Military Region (RMC), Lieutenant General Simão Carlitos Wala, and the CEO of the Benguela Railway, António Cabral.

The commander of the RMC, which covers the provinces of Benguela, Huambo and Bié, crossed by the Lobito Corridor, in addition to Cuanza-Sul, said  the meeting aimed to analyze the protection plan for the technicians and resources of this important infrastructure, with the aim of guaranteeing security for investors.

According to the Lieutenant General, this is an initiative within the framework of the Railway Contingency Operation, as part of the State's strategic objectives to prevent possible acts of vandalism and sabotage, and to ensure the free and safe movement of freight and passenger trains.

The CEO of CFB, on his side, said that the security plan comes at a good time, given the visibility that the Lobito Corridor has gained worldwide.

The Lobito Corridor, with a length of approximately 1,344 kilometers, connects the Atlantic coast of Lobito to the border city of Luau, in the eastern part of the country, crossing five provinces, namely Benguela, Huambo, Bié, Moxico and Moxico-East.

With its national and international borders, this corridor has a structuring effect on the entire Southern African Development Community (SADC) area and is one of the main routes for the movement of goods.

A strategic route for the country's economic diversification potential, the Lobito Corridor connects 40 percent of the country's population and encourages major investments in agriculture and trade.

The five provinces crossed by the Lobito Corridor play a fundamental role in agricultural development, with value chains in grains such as corn, soy, wheat and rice, as well as tubers, beans, vegetables and fruits.

It is internationally known as the route of the two oceans, as it connects the Atlantic and Indian oceans by land.

The corridor is the main alternative route to export markets for countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, as it offers a shorter route to the main mining areas of the two countries straddling the Indian Ocean. ALH/AMP