Lobito corridor offers $28 billion Investment opportunities —World Bank

Bjerde said, however, that unlocking the investment opportunities would require the three countries to coordinate infrastructure development with investments in skills, power, water, land and the growth of secondary cities.

She warned that focusing only on railway infrastructure could limit the economic benefits of the corridor.

“If we coordinate only on rail, we will have built a very expensive conveyor belt,” Bjerde said.

She said reliable power would be particularly important because mining, mineral processing and industrial investments expected along the corridor would depend on adequate and dependable electricity supply.

Finance and National Planning Minister, Situmbeko Musokotwane, said Zambia wanted the private sector to be involved from the planning stage because the country’s development agenda was intended to be private-sector led.

He said the viability of the railway would depend on increasing production of copper and other minerals, agricultural products and other goods that could be transported through the corridor.

“Increased production would, in turn, require investment in roads, warehouses and other logistics infrastructure to support efficient movement of goods,” Musokotwane said.

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