The United States is championing the Lobito Corridor, a vital rail and transport route in Southern Africa, as a blueprint for its renewed engagement on the continent, emphasizing trade and investment over traditional humanitarian aid. This strategy, however, draws criticism for potentially exacerbating regional conflicts and serving primarily US re
Frank Garcia, the newly confirmed US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, cited the 1,300km (810-mile) corridor on March 5 during his Senate confirmation hearing. He presented the project as aligning with core US national interests and the "America First" approach, prioritizing job creation and expanded commercial ties over humanitarian assistance.
The corridor connects Angola's Atlantic port of Lobito to the mineral-rich regions of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia. It aims to expedite the transport of critical minerals like copper, cobalt, lithium, and nickel to global markets, placing it at the center of geopolitical competition for resources needed in electric vehicles and clean energy technologies.
While proponents argue the corridor will boost regional trade, create jobs, and improve infrastructure, critics, including Mike Jennings, a professor of global development at SOAS University of London, warn of a "neocolonial" approach. Jennings suggested the project risks worsening crises in conflict-torn nations rather than resolving them.
The corridor's foundational infrastructure, the Benguela Railway, was first developed in 1902 as a colonial trade route. After a 27-year civil war left it largely non-operational, China renovated it with a $2 billion rail-for-oil program. In 2023, a 30-year concession was granted to Lobito Atlantic Railway, involving Trafigura, Mota-Engil, and Vecturis SA.
The Biden administration signed a memorandum of understanding in 2022 with the European Union and other G7 members, pledging to mobilize $600 billion for infrastructure, with the US committing $200 billion. President Donald Trump later mobilized funds in 2025, redefining the project from a climate-transition initiative to a geopolitical instrument.
The International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), established during Trump's first term in 2019, pledged a $550 million loan and later signed a $753 million financing package in December. Ben Black, DFC's CEO, stated the railway would drive economic development and secure supply chains, preventing
monopolization by China and other strategic competitors.
Professor Jennings further expressed concern that the project primarily supports outward trade, not inter-regional links, resembling "exploitation of African natural resources." He highlighted the risks in a region devastated by conflict, where access to minerals has fueled tensions. The United Kingdom-based campaign group Global Witness estimates up to 6,500 people could face displacement linked to the corridor's development.
