World Bank Hosts Roundtable Around Lobito Corridor During Spring Meetings in DC
On 16 April 2026, in DC, the World Bank organized a roundtable around theme of “#LobitoCorridor: From Political Momentum to Coordinated Delivery” by inviting all the key stakeholders. WB MD of Operations Anna Bjerde chaired the meetings with high officials from Angola, the Democratic of Congo (DRC) and Zambia, as well as the Lobito Corridor Investment Promotion Authority. Financiers such as the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), and Italy’s Development Finance Institution (DFI) also took part.
DRC PM Judith Tuluka underscored the strategic importance of the corridor for creating jobs and value, while DRC Minister of International Trade Julien Kahongya proposed blended finance to mobilize both public and private financing.
Zambian Minister of Finance Situmbeko Musokotwane noted the mobilization drive and progress on the proposed greenfield Zambian segment. This new branch of the Lobito Corridor will link up to the #Copperbelt region on the Zambian side.
Representatives from Angola and Zambia were on the same page as those from the DRC to develop the Lobito Corridor as more than just a railway for transporting raw minerals. The vision is to develop the Lobito Rail into one of the key Economic Corridors in Africa in terms of traffic and economic value creation. To do so would require more local value addition (#LVA) and the implementation of an all-round coordinated regional master plan. At the end of the day, the Lobito Corridor must benefit the local communities in a fair and just manner.
On 30 April 2026, the Africa Finance Corporation announced that it had initiated discussions with at least 10 African and international lenders to mobilize up to USD 5 billion for transforming the Lobito Corridor into an artery of economic growth and regional integration. The financiers include the African Development Bank, the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA), the US Development Finance Corporation, and Citigroup
The next coordination meeting for the #LobitoCorridor is scheduled to take place in Kinshasa in July 2026.