A senior official from the United States State Department has reaffirmed Washington's strategic interest in the Lobito Corridor, describing the trans-continental trade route as a critical axis for regional connectivity and economic integration during an official visit to Lobito Port in Benguela province on Tuesday.
James Wolfe, Director of the Office of Analysis for Africa at the State Department, made the remarks during a working visit to the Lobito Port Company (Empresa Portuária do Lobito), conducted as part of ongoing US monitoring of the corridor's development and the growing international interest in its logistics and commercial potential.
Wolfe characterised the Lobito Corridor as a key driver of regional connectivity and a platform for creating new economic cooperation opportunities among the countries it traverses.
The senior US official also thanked his hosts for the reception and the opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge of Lobito Port's operational realities, reaffirming Washington's intention to remain closely engaged with the corridor's development.
Wolfe was accompanied by a delegation from the United States Embassy accredited in Angola. The visit allowed the group to examine the port's infrastructure, assess its operational performance, and review ongoing modernisation and expansion projects.
During the visit, Wolfe held a working session with the Board of Directors of the Lobito Port Company, during which he received a briefing on the port's operational activity, capital investments completed to date, and the medium-term growth outlook for the facility.
Discussions centred particularly on Lobito Port's role as the principal logistics and commercial platform of the Lobito Corridor, and on its capacity to deepen Angola's connectivity with Southern African countries and international markets.
Celso Rosas, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Lobito Port Company, underscored the significance of the visit, describing it as an opportunity to strengthen institutional dialogue and advance cooperation relationships and strategic partnerships around the corridor's development.
Rosas also reaffirmed the company's commitment to improving operational efficiency, modernising port infrastructure, and delivering services that increasingly meet the demands of regional and international trade.
During the meeting, Rosas presented the main development priorities for Lobito Port, with emphasis on initiatives aimed at consolidating its position as a reference logistics platform and at creating conditions to stimulate trade flows and attract new investment.
The presentation also gave the US delegation a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities associated with the expansion of port activity and the rising volume of freight moving through the Lobito Corridor.
The visit took place against the backdrop of growing international attention to the Lobito Corridor — a project that extends well beyond its port dimension and is increasingly positioned as a major platform for freight movement, logistics chain development, and the integration of Southern African markets into global trade networks.
The corridor establishes a strategic link between Angola's Atlantic coast and the interior of Southern Africa, reinforcing Lobito Port's potential as one of the region's principal gateways for goods in transit.
Rising demand for efficient logistics solutions and the need to diversify transport routes have fuelled mounting interest from international partners in the Lobito Corridor's economic and commercial potential.
Against this backdrop, the Lobito Port Company is working to consolidate its position as a regional logistics hub through infrastructure modernisation, expanded operational capacity, and the creation of conditions to absorb the projected increase in commercial activity.
The US diplomatic delegation included, among others, Political and Economic Counsellor Jacob Doty, Political Attaché David Roberts, and Political Assistant Eulália Amorim.
Source: ANGOP / Original article: https://www.angop.ao/noticias/politica/eua-reafirmam-interesse-no-desenvolvimento-estrategico-do-corredor-do-lobito/
