The Lobito Corridor: opportunities and challenges for a just transition

An ambitious infrastructure project linking Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, the Lobito Corridor brings hope for easier access to markets and new economic opportunities. But it has also prompted questions around its development contribution and its social and environmental impacts.

Although some international partners are primarily interested in accessing copper, cobalt and other ‘energy transition minerals’ (or 'critical minerals'), the Lobito Corridor highlights fundamental questions about whose energy transition it serves, with whose resources, and how the costs and benefits of the transition are ultimately shared.

This briefing argues that the project’s long-term viability will hinge on its ability to address social and environmental issues and respond to local policy priorities on promoting economic development and diversification. In turn, this requires redefining infrastructure development around local needs and aspirations, rather than export objectives alone.