THE All-American Rail Group (AARG) and Angola’s Ministry of Transport have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which the Houston-based rail and infrastructure consortium will build a $US 4.5bn railway connecting Angola’s capital Luanda with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
According to Angola’s Ministry of Transport, the project aims to bolster food security and agricultural expansion in northern Angola. The railway will also enable the export of oil, wood, and minerals.
Mr Mustafa Ocalir, a member of the board of directors of AARG, says the consortium is ready to build, operate and finance Angolan railway projects, adding that it plans to integrate the railway with logistics platforms and a port in the agricultural region, boosting Angola’s food security.
Angola’s minister of transport, Mr Ricardo Viegas D’Abreu, highlighted the potential of the Northern (Lobito) Corridor as an engine for economic growth and regional integration.
The US recently announced that it will make $US 1bn available to support the development of the existing Lobito Corridor, which connects Angola, the DRC and Zambia.
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