The First Tripartite Meeting Of The Lobito Corridor Committee Of Ministers Held In November 2023
During the week of 14-16 November 2023, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Secretariat, supported by the Africa Development Bank, facilitated the inaugural meeting of the Lobito Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency Committee of Ministers. This significant meeting, held in Benguela province, Angola, provided a platform for the committee of ministers to discuss and approve various key matters.
These included, among other things, the establishment of subcommittees and an interim secretariat to be based in Lobito, the development of dry port frameworks for Zambia and the DRC, and other important matters related to the development of value chains and economic clusters in the mining and agriculture sectors along the corridor.
Ms. Mapolao Mokoena, Director of Infrastructure for the Southern African Development Community (SADC), hailed the inaugural meeting of the Lobito Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (LCTTFA) yet another historic milestone during her remarks at the closing ceremony. She extended her gratitude to the Angolan government for graciously agreeing to host the agency for the first two years. She stressed that SADC will keep trying to help the member states of the corridor by providing technical support and coordinating with international cooperating partners to mobilise resources. She emphasised that this ambitious project is for the benefit of future generations.
In a statement made by the Honourable Frank Museba Tayali, Minister of Transport for the Republic of Zambia, he stated that the government reaffirmed its dedication to the development of the Lobito corridor and outlined a number of major infrastructure projects and initiatives his government has embarked on to connect Zambia to Angola and the DRC by railway and road, as well as address other non-rigorous matters.
The Coordinator of the Support and Monitoring Unit for Regional Programmes and Transport Corridor Activities (CEPCOR) at the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Mr. Roger TeBiasu, expressed gratitude to the International Cooperating Partners for their support in developing the Lobito Corridor on behalf of the Minister of Transport for the DRC. In addition, he emphasised that the mining industry and the private sector place a high value on the Lobito Corridor and are anxiously anticipating the launch of the Lobito Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency.
Announcing the success of the inaugural meeting of the agency, the Honourable Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu, the Angolan Minister of Transport, praised the participants for their hard work. In his address, he stressed that a fully operational LCTTFA is crucial for the continent’s economic growth. The corridor could facilitate trade, attract investments, and launch initiatives that could increase the continent’s GDP by nearly $177 billion, or 25% of the Southern African Member States’ GDP. The initiative will have an effect on the people living along the corridor, but it will also be felt in all SADC countries.
Access the Republic of Zambia Report Of The Committee On Transport, Works And Supply On The Lobito Corridor Transport Facilitation Agreement For The Third Session Of The Thirteenth National Assembly:
https://www.parliament.gov.zm/sites/default/files/documents/committee_reports/REPORT%20FOR%20THE%20COMMITTEE%20ON%20TRANSPORT%2C%20WORKS%20AND%20SUPPLY%20ON%20THE%20LOBITO%20CORRIDOR%20TRANSPORT%20FACILITATION%20AGREEMENT.pdf