Benguela – Angolan head of State João Lourenço Tuesday called on the African countries to improve their resources and put them at the service of their nations.
João Lourenço made the appeal in Lobito, coastal Benguela province, during the transfer of the concession for rail and logistics services for the Lobito Corridor to the Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium and the inauguration of fibre optic link among the three countries (Angola, DRC and Zambia.
Addressing the counterparts from Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Félix Tshisekedi, João Lourenço called for cooperation among the countries of the continent, aimed at development, progress and stability.
In his speech, João Lourenço said that it was up to the Africans to define and materialise the form of their participation in the world economic development, exploring and transforming their resources, as well as making them reach, on time, the markets.
Angolan president defended the need to enhance the exports and creation of jobs for young people.
He said that the Lobito Corridor will boost inter-African exports, which is currently accounted for 14 percent of all exports to the rest of the world.
President João Lourenço stressed the country’s focus on south-south cooperation goals, as well as to assume the commitments undertaken at the level of free trade zones in the SADC region and Africa.
The transfer of the rail and logistics services concession to support the Lobito Corridor to the Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium took place on Tuesday in Benguela province.
Lobito Atlantic Railway, which won the international tender to operate the Corridor on 4 November, 2022, is made up of Trafigura, Vecturis and Mota-Engil.
The consortium plans, over a 30-year period, to increase the daily frequency to 50 trains and guarantee 1,600 direct jobs.
It will be responsible for transporting large cargoes, such as ores from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, as well as maintenance of infrastructure (workshops, railway line).
Under private management, the Lobito Corridor includes the Port of Lobito, the Mining Terminal, Catumbela Airport and the Benguela Railroad. JFS/AL/CRB/ADR/DAN/NIC
