Transport and Logistics - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Africa Finance Corporation Advances Zambia-Lobito Rail Project with Concession Agreements 1

The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has significantly advanced the Zambia Lobito Rail project by entering into concession agreements with the governments of Angola and Zambia. This ceremonial signing took place on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 79) with the participation of U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and the Biden Administration’s G-7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI). The agreements empower the AFC to take the lead in funding, constructing, owning, and operating this vital infrastructure project aimed at enhancing… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Transport and Logistics

Zambia Joins Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency to Boost Regional Trade

October 10, 2024October 10, 2024 Constance

In a significant move to enhance regional trade and transportation, Zambia has officially become a full member of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA). The agreement was signed by Minister of Transport and Logistics, Hon. Eng. Counsel Museba Frank Tayali, during the Interstate Council of Ministers Meeting in Kinshasa, DRC. The high-level meeting was chaired by Jean-Pierre Bemba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of the DRC. The Central Corridor is an integrated multimodal transport and logistics network that connects member states to the Indian Ocean through… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Transport and Logistics

Zambia Signs MoU to Boost Trade Through Lobito Corridor

October 4, 2024October 4, 2024 Constance

The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Quality Institutions (NQI) to implement the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project, supported by an African Development Bank grant of US$8.1 million. This project aims to enhance both domestic and cross-border trade between Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The NQI comprises key regulatory bodies, including the Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA), Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA), and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). These… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Economy Transport and Logistics

U.S. Commits Support for DRC’s Lobito Corridor to Boost Regional Integration and Economic Growth

September 22, 2024September 22, 2024 Constance

During the 2nd edition of the DRC Battery Metals Forum, U.S. Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lucy Tamly, reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to supporting the Lobito Corridor project. This initiative is designed to enhance regional integration, create jobs, and boost global trade, particularly in agriculture, digital, and clean energy sectors. “We are focused on ways to assist the DRC in advancing the Lobito Corridor. This project is part of our global infrastructure and investment program aimed at improving regional connectivity—from mine to port—by linking the DRC… Read More Here

International Transport and Logistics

Lobito Corridor to Reduce Oil Costs for Zimbabwe

September 15, 2024September 15, 2024 Constance

The development of Angola’s Lobito Corridor is expected to lower oil costs for Zimbabwe, according to Angolan Ambassador Thando Madzvamuse. Speaking on in Benguela after meeting with local government authorities, Madzvamuse highlighted the importance of the Lobito Corridor and its potential impact on Zimbabwe’s oil supply. Madzvamuse noted that once the Lobito Corridor is fully operational, Zimbabwe will begin receiving oil from Angola, reducing reliance on longer supply routes from South Africa and Mozambique. He emphasized that the corridor will help connect the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, allowing for more… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Copper Transport and Logistics

Trade Expert Applauds Agreement to Revitalize TAZARA Railway

September 9, 2024September 9, 2024 Constance

Trade expert Gilbert Nkamba has commended the recent tripartite agreement between Zambia, Tanzania, and China to upgrade and revitalize the TAZARA railway line. The railway, which connects Zambia’s Copperbelt mines to the Tanzanian port of Dar Es Salaam, was originally constructed in the 1970s but has since fallen into disrepair. Last week, President Hakainde Hichilema signed an agreement with his Chinese and Tanzanian counterparts to restore the line, with China committing $1 billion in investments to enhance the export of Zambia’s critical metals. “Revitalizing TAZARA will attract foreign direct investment… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Transport and Logistics

Zambia, Tanzania, and China Sign Agreement to Revitalize TAZARA Railway

September 8, 2024September 8, 2024 Constance

President Hakainde Hichilema has signed a historic agreement with his Tanzanian and Chinese counterparts to revitalize the TAZARA railway, a crucial step in boosting Zambia’s copper exports via Tanzania. This upgrade is expected to increase mining revenue and create jobs throughout the supply chain. The agreement was formalized during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing, marking the most significant upgrade to the railway since its initial construction in the 1970s, a joint effort by Chinese Premier Mao Zedong and Zambia’s founding President Kenneth Kaunda. The TAZARA line connects Zambia’s… Read More Here

Transport and Logistics Angola Mining in DRC Mining in Zambia

DBSA Approves $200M for US-Backed Lobito Rail to Boost African Mineral Exports

September 4, 2024September 4, 2024 Constance

The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has approved up to $200 million in financing for the Lobito Corridor rail project, a US-backed initiative aimed at transporting critical minerals from Central Africa’s Copperbelt to the Atlantic port in Angola. Mpho Mokwele, DBSA’s Executive for Transacting, emphasized the project’s importance in supporting the global energy transition by facilitating the export of minerals essential for renewable energy technologies. “The Lobito Corridor is set to become the most competitive route for exporting these minerals, offering significant cost and time savings for exporters,” Mokwele… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Cobalt Copper Transport and Logistics

US sees bipartisan backing for Africa critical minerals plan

September 1, 2024September 1, 2024 Constance

A senior US State Department official reassured African governments that an initiative to help counter China’s influence through developing infrastructure on the continent will continue even after a change in administration. The flagship of the plan — a railway project known as the Lobito corridor that connects copper and cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo to an Atlantic port in Angola — is already far advanced, Helaina Matza, acting special coordinator for the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, told reporters on Wednesday. “In many ways, there’s a… Read More Here

Mining in Zambia Copper Mining in DRC Transport and Logistics

Southern Africa’s Railways Surge with Global Investment Amid Copper Boom

August 25, 2024August 25, 2024 Constance

Southern Africa’s railways are garnering international attention and attracting billions of dollars in investment, driven by the race to secure copper supplies essential for the energy transition. From Angola on the west coast to Tanzania on the east, governments and investors are poised to revive long-neglected rail lines and construct new ones. This surge in demand is largely fueled by the central African copperbelt shared by Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “We’re at a historic turning point,” said Babe Botana, Executive Director of the Southern African Railways Association.… Read More Here