Staff Reporter
THE official visit to Angola by American President Joe Biden, initially scheduled for October 13 to 15 but postponed due to the devastating Hurricane Milton in the United States, has been rescheduled. Biden will now visit Angola during the first week of December.
According to a report by the Voice of America (VOA), quoting a White House spokesperson, Biden will, during his visit to Luanda, reaffirm the USA-Angola relations and recognize Angola’s role as a strategic partner and regional leader.
Also on the agenda are discussions on increased collaboration in security, health, and economic partnerships, including the G7’s Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) initiative, focused on the Lobito railway corridor.
In 2023, the U.S. and the EU signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Angola, the DRC, and Zambia, underscoring a commitment to develop the corridor as a transcontinental railway network of free access. Initially, it will connect the mineral-rich regions of the DRC and Zambia with the Angolan port of Lobito, with the eventual aim of linking the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Indian Ocean in the east.
The 1,344-kilometre railway traverses Angola from Lobito and runs eastward through important cities such as Benguela, Huambo, Kuito-Bié, and Luena before reaching the town of Luau on the DRC border.
