Last stop in Africa: Biden's mega-railway plan shows new path for mineral trade
US president makes final Africa visit to showcase massive railway project in Angola that could reshape mineral trade routes. The multi-billion infrastructure plan aims to connect three African nations and counter Chinese influence
Joe Biden arrived at Angolas Lobito port city yesterday making his last Africa stop before leaving office next month. The visit focuses on a game-changing railway project that connects mineral-rich regions to global markets
The US government backed the project with a $550-million loan which will help fix-up existing tracks and build new ones from Lobito to Congo (the projects first stage aims to create better access to Congos valuable mining areas). Additional funding worth $600-million was announced for various side-projects: solar power telecom and mineral development
The railway plan has sparked interest from big-name companies — Trafigura trading group portuguese builders Mota-Engil and rail experts Vecturis are all joining forces to make it happen. The massive 1300-km network could change how minerals move across Africa but theres some doubt about phase two
- Solar power development along the route
- New telecom infrastructure
- Mineral processing facilities
- Railway management systems
The second phase to extend tracks through Tanzania faces questions as Donald Trumpʼs incoming administration might not support routes that could benefit China. Its worth noting that Angola (who used to be close with China and Russia) is now looking west — during Bidenʼs visit their president talked about wanting more US military cooperation
The project shows how fast African trade routes are changing; however the upcoming switch in US leadership brings questions about future support. The Development Finance Corporationʼs involvement means work can start on upgrading tracks that will connect Lobito port to Congos resource-rich regions
