Huambo - The project named “Diversify More” as part of the Lobito Corridor was analysed on Tuesday in central Huambo Province, through an initiative of the Ministry of Economy and Planning.
The Lobito Rail Corridor stretches for almost 1,300 kilometres in Angola and continues for another 400 kilometres in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to Kolwezi, the heart of the Copperbelt, Republic of Zambia and is also linked to the extensive rail network managed by the National Railway Company of Congo (SNCC).
According to Adilson Vicusso, a consultant at Leadership Business Consulting (LBC), the consultation on the project named Diversify More, which has World Bank funding valued at 300 million Kwanzas, aimed to gather input, analyse and assess the business ecosystem, the level of competitiveness and the priorities of local companies, in order to better implement the programme, as well as to assess the value chain of companies and the employability of the local population, in order to further boost the agricultural and business sectors and create jobs along the Lobito Corridor.
Adilson Vicusso said the intention was to link the Atlantic and Indian Oceans by connecting the Lobito Corridor to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the United Republic of Tanzania.
In turn, the director of the Huambo Province integrated economic development office, Manuel Vitongue, said that the project aims to support investment in terms of productive infrastructure and the productivity capacity of companies located in the Lobito Corridor.
Manuel Vitongue said that the project includes the components "Favourable Business Environment", "Financing and Investment", "Catalytic Investment to Develop Value Chains", "Strengthening Companies' Capacity and Access to Financing" and "Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation".
In Huambo Province, located on Angola's Central Plateau, the Benguela Railway train, based in the port city of Lobito, passes through seven of the 11 municipalities, namely Chinjenje, Ucuma, Longonjo, Caála, Huambo, Chicala-Cholohanga and Cachiungo.
MLV/ALH/MRA/jmc
