Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has encouraged Angolan businesspeople to utilise the Lobito Corridor, a key transcontinental transport link, through the Tazara railways and the Dar es Salaam Port.
The minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, emphasised the importance of infrastructure development in enhancing trade and economic integration across Africa.
Speaking during a meeting with an Angolan business delegation, Mr Kombo highlighted Tanzania’s readiness to facilitate increased production and the seamless transportation of goods.
The Angolan delegation was led by chief executive officer of TEGMA-SU LDA, António Duarte Gomes.
The Lobito Corridor, which connects Angola to Zambia and Tanzania via rail, offers a crucial route for the movement of goods, services, and people between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Lobito Corridor
The Lobito Corridor is a strategic trade route running from the Port of Lobito in Angola on the Atlantic coast through Zambia and linking with the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), ultimately connecting to the Dar es Salaam Port on the Indian Ocean.
The corridor has received significant investment to enhance its capacity, including a major railway project backed by the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC).
In September 2024, AFC signed concession agreements with the governments of Angola and Zambia to develop the Zambia Lobito Rail Project.
The project includes the construction of an 800-kilometre rail line linking Angola’s Benguela railway with Zambia’s rail network.
Transport and investment cooperation
During discussions, Mr Kombo also stressed the need to improve air connectivity between Tanzania and Angola by establishing direct flights.
Such a move, he noted, would not only ease travel for business communities but also stimulate bilateral trade and tourism.
Tanzania and Angola have pledged to deepen cooperation in multiple sectors, including agriculture and mineral development.
The minister also highlighted investment opportunities in Zanzibar, particularly in the tourism sector, encouraging Angolan investors to explore the region’s potential.
On his part, António Duarte Gomes expressed appreciation for Tanzania’s hospitality and commitment to fostering stronger economic ties.
The Angolan delegation’s visit includes a trip to a historical site where Angola’s first president, António Agostinho Neto, lived during the country’s liberation struggle.
Historic ties and future prospects
Tanzania and Angola share a longstanding relationship dating back to Africa’s liberation movements.
Tanzania played a pivotal role in supporting Angola’s independence struggle, and this historical bond continues to shape cooperation in political, social, and economic spheres.
While in the country, the delegation will visit the site where Angola’s founding father, the late António Agostinho Neto, once lived during the nation’s liberation struggle and the broader fight for Africa’s independence.
