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During his visit to sub-Saharan Africa, President Joe Biden announced an additional $600 million in funding for a transcontinental rail corridor, stressing that “Africa has been left behind for much too long. But not anymore. Africa is the future.”
On the final day of his trip to Angola, Biden highlighted the Lobito Corridor railway. In this major project, the United States and its allies are investing significantly to upgrade 800 miles (1,300 km) of railway lines spanning Zambia, Congo, and Angola.
This initiative is strategically focused on strengthening the US presence in a region abundant in cobalt, copper, and other essential minerals critical to the production of electric vehicle batteries, electronics, and clean energy technologies. By the end of the decade, the rail line is expected to connect southern Africa’s west and east coasts, potentially revolutionising trade across the continent.
Biden described the project as a “game changer,” drawing a parallel with the transformative impact of the United States’ transcontinental railroad. He noted that cargo, which previously took 45 days to reach the US, often via trucks from South Africa, will now be delivered in under 45 hours. He also predicted that the rail corridor could shift the region from being a food importer to a significant exporter.
Biden confirmed that the US has already invested $4 billion in the Lobito Corridor. He was joined by the presidents of Angola, Congo, and Zambia. Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi highlighted that the project could generate tens of millions of jobs in his country, calling it a milestone that would permanently change the trajectory of our region. Meanwhile, Angola’s President João Lourenço described it as a cornerstone for regional economic development.
Biden also emphasised that the Lobito Corridor represented the largest US investment in a rail project abroad.
The United States is positioning the Lobito Atlantic Railway upgrade as a catalyst for a new wave of Western private-sector investment in Africa. The project has already attracted backing from the European Union, the Group of Seven industrialised nations, a Western-led private consortium, and African banks.
Though the corridor won’t be fully operational for several years, much of the work will fall under the administration of Donald Trump, who will take office on January 20. The Biden administration points to bipartisan support in Congress for initiatives to boost African business through targeted investments, noting that such efforts have garnered support from Trump and his advisors in the past.
Frances Ibiefo
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