Director of Operations (COO) at Lobito Atlantic Railway Nicolas Gregoir (L) converses with US President Joe Biden (R) as they stroll through the Port in Lobito on Wednesday. AFP
US President Joe Biden touched down in the Angolan port city of Lobito on Wednesday, marking the final leg of his African tour. His visit aimed to promote a plan to extend a railway that could transport critical minerals from Congo to the West. The United States has extended a $550-million loan to back this initiative, which includes refurbishing an existing railway in Angola and extending it into Congo's mining hub as part of the initial phase. No completion date has been announced yet.
A subsequent phase of the project plans to connect and extend the Lobito corridor through Tanzania. The US has funded feasibility studies, but critics argue that this route could compete with China's eastern route, potentially jeopardizing the entire project. Following Donald Trump's inauguration as US president in January, Washington is expected to adopt a tougher stance towards China, raising doubts about the continuation of US support for the eastern route.
US officials recently announced $600 million in financing through the Development Finance Corporation for projects, including solar, minerals, and telecommunications, along the first phase of the initiative. During his meeting with Angolan President Joao Lourenco in Luanda on Tuesday, Biden reaffirmed the US's enduring commitment to Africa on African terms. This visit, his first and only as president, fulfilled a promise to visit the continent but occurred just weeks before his presidency concludes.
Despite Biden's frequent pledges to fully engage with Africa, US influence on the continent has waned during his tenure. The US has lost a military base in the Sahel region and made limited progress in challenging China's dominance over critical minerals. Angola, which has long maintained close ties with China and Russia, has recently gravitated towards the West. During Biden's visit, Angolan President Joao Lourenco expressed the country's desire to expand security and military collaborations with the United States.
The incoming Trump administration will need to address gaps in its understanding of a rapidly evolving continent increasingly aligned with China and Russia, and threatened by expanding jihadist insurgencies. The Lobito project is supported by global commodities trader Trafigura, Portuguese construction group Mota-Engil, and railway operator Vecturis. The US Development Finance Corporation has provided the $550-million loan to refurbish the 1,300-km rail network from Lobito to Congo.
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