By Linda Soko Tembo
Zambia is on the verge of an economic transformation as the European Union (EU) throws its full support behind the Lobito Corridor — a multimillion-dollar transport and trade route designed to connect Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to regional and global markets.
The initiative aims to turn Zambia into Southern Africa’s next major trade and logistics hub, linking its mineral wealth and agricultural products to the Atlantic Ocean through Angola’s port of Lobito.
Speaking ahead of the EU–Zambia Business Forum scheduled for November 12–14, 2025, EU Ambassador to Zambia and special representative to COMESA, Her Excellency Karolina Stasiak, described the Lobito Corridor as a “game-changing infrastructure initiative” that will accelerate trade, attract investment, and create thousands of local jobs.
Supported under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, the Lobito Corridor is envisioned as Africa’s first open-access, transcontinental railway, promoting transparent, competitive, and sustainable trade. The corridor will enable faster and more efficient exports of Zambia’s minerals, agricultural produce, and manufactured goods — cutting transport costs and boosting the country’s competitiveness.
“The Lobito Corridor is not just a transport project it’s an economic transformation opportunity that will bring cheaper logistics, improved access to markets, and increased economic activities along the route that can create jobs and opportunities, especially for young people,” said Ambassador Stasiak during Wednesday’s breakfast meeting in Lusaka.
The corridor is a joint effort by the governments of Angola, Zambia, and the DRC, with support from the EU, the United States, the African Development Bank, and the Africa Finance Corporation. It forms part of the broader Lobito Economic Corridor, which will open new investment avenues in agri-food processing, energy, skills development, and eco-tourism, among others.
Strategically, the project links Zambia’s Copperbelt and North-Western provinces to Angola’s Lobito Port, providing the country’s mining heartlands with a direct export route to the Atlantic. The EU believes this infrastructure will help Zambia transition from a landlocked to a “land-linked” nation, a vision aligned with the government’s Eighth National Development Plan.
Preparatory works are already underway. Angola and Congo are rehabilitating existing rail lines, while Zambia is completing feasibility studies to connect to the network. The EU is also supporting capacity building for Zambian businesses to prepare them for the economic opportunities the corridor will bring.
The upcoming EU–Zambia Business Forum, celebrating 50 years of EU–Zambia partnership, will bring together more than 600 delegates — including President Hakainde Hichilema, EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Sikela, and EIB Vice President Karl Nehammer— to discuss trade, mining, agriculture, and energy with a focus on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) standards.
“We are seeing huge interest from European companies eager to explore opportunities in Zambia this forum will help build partnerships that promote sustainable investment, good governance, and shared prosperity,” she said.
As Zambia positions itself as a regional transport and trade hub, the Lobito Corridor emerges not merely as a physical link but as a symbol of economic renewal — connecting Zambia’s local industries to global markets and laying the foundation for inclusive growth across Southern Africa.
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