LUANDA, Dec. 3 — President Joe Biden has become the first U.S. president to officially visit Angola, marking a historic moment in U.S.-Angola relations. The visit, aimed at boosting trade and infrastructure development, is widely viewed as a strategic counter to China’s influence in the region.
The centerpiece of Biden’s trip is the Lobito Corridor project, a 1,344-kilometer (835-mile) railway designed to transport cobalt, lithium, and copper from mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia to Angola’s Lobito port on the Atlantic Ocean. This initiative seeks to enhance Africa’s global trade connectivity while providing an alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
“It’s a perfect marriage of convenience,” Angolan analyst Edmilson Angelo said. The corridor is expected to boost Angola’s economy while positioning the U.S. as a key player in Africa’s development.
strengthening relations
Biden’s visit underscores Angola’s shift in foreign policy under President João Lourenço, who has steered the country away from its historic alignment with China and Russia. Since taking office in 2017, Lourenço has pursued pragmatic, non-aligned policies, strengthening ties with the West.
“Lourenço’s administration has seen Angolan foreign policy move away from ideology towards pragmatic multipolarity,” said Alex Vines, director of the Africa Programme at Chatham House. Biden’s visit signals a new era of collaboration between the two nations.
trade and sustainability
Apart from oil, Angola’s rich deposits of lithium and cobalt—essential for electric vehicle batteries—have attracted significant attention. The Lobito Corridor, supported by the U.S., G7 nations, and private investors, represents the first major American-backed alternative to China’s infrastructure projects on the continent.
Helaina Matza, acting special coordinator for the project at the U.S. State Department, emphasized a collective $600 billion commitment from G7 countries to support global infrastructure initiatives through 2027.
Angola’s president dismissed concerns that the investment mimics colonial-era resource extraction. “Today, when we export minerals, we do so in the interest of African countries,” Lourenço said, highlighting efforts to align resource use with national development.
uncertain future
Biden’s visit comes as the U.S. approaches a presidential transition, with Donald Trump set to return to office in January. While some analysts believe the Lobito Corridor may survive the transition due to its strategic importance in countering China, its future under the Trump administration remains uncertain.
Dr. Vines noted that the corridor’s accessibility to both Western and Chinese firms might challenge its alignment with Trump’s expected hardline approach to China. Lourenço expressed hope for continuity, stating, “All we have to do is to be ready to work with those that will be in power.”
rebuilding and growth
Angola continues to rebuild its infrastructure following the devastation of its nearly 30-year civil war, which ended in 2002. The Benguela railway, a key component of the Lobito Corridor, was largely destroyed during the conflict, with only 3% operational by its end. Efforts to restore the line began with Chinese investment and have now expanded to include U.S. collaboration.
“This project portrays Angola as a safe place to invest,” Angelo said. He believes Biden’s visit and the corridor project bolster Angola’s efforts to attract global investors.
As Africa increasingly focuses on local processing of raw materials, the economic impact of the corridor could evolve. However, experts like Anthony Carroll of the U.S. Institute of Peace remain optimistic about its long-term viability, given global demand for copper, cobalt, and lithium.