DRC Senate Approves Ratification of Lobito Corridor Agreement
The Senate of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) ratified the agreement establishing the Lobito Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (AFTTCL) during a plenary session on December 2, 2024.
The agreement, signed on January 27, 2023, in Lobito, Angola, involves a partnership between the DRC, Angola, and Zambia.
The bill, first presented to the Senate on November 22, 2024, was referred to the “External Relations” Committee for detailed review.
The committee, led by Senator Lutundula Apala Pen Apala, recommended ratification, emphasizing the corridor’s strategic importance to the DRC’s economy and its alignment with the nation’s policy of fostering economic partnerships.
The Lobito Corridor offers a cost-effective transport route compared to other options currently used by the DRC. While the DRC plans to develop an internal East-West corridor linking Grand Katanga to the deep-water port under construction at Banana via Grand Kasaï, Bandundu, Kinshasa, and Kongo Central, the Lobito Corridor remains critical for the nation’s economic growth.
The committee highlighted the corridor’s historical significance, as it was a primary trade route for the DRC before disruptions caused by Angola’s 1975 liberation war.
It also urged the government to take measures to maximize the corridor’s economic benefits and expedite the development of the internal corridor to enhance national connectivity.
