The Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has achieved a major milestone in the Zambia Lobito Rail project by entering concession agreements with the governments of Angola and Zambia. The formal signing took place alongside the 79th United Nations General Assembly, with support from the U.S. G-7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. These agreements position the AFC as the lead entity for funding,
Category: Southern Africa
Angola Seeks Operators for New Luanda Airport Concession
Angola’s government is inviting bids to manage the new Luanda Antonio Agostinho Neto International Airport under a 25-year concession. The Ministry of Transport has launched a formal tender process, with a deadline for proposals set for February 16, 2025. Interested parties must have operated at least one international airport for a minimum of three years, with prior annual traffic of at least 10 million passengers between 2018 and 2022. If
Malawi’s Rail Rehabilitation Reopens Path for Mozambican Coal Exports
The completion of a major rail rehabilitation project linking Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, with Balaka in the south has paved the way for the resumption of thermal and coking coal exports from Mozambique. This development is expected to boost coal trade between the two nations, particularly from Mozambique’s coal-rich Tete Province. While international investors have reduced their involvement in local mining operations due to environmental concerns, Mozambique’s coal reserves continue to
Zambia Joins Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency to Boost Regional Trade
In a significant move to enhance regional trade and transportation, Zambia has officially become a full member of the Central Corridor Transit Transport Facilitation Agency (CCTTFA). The agreement was signed by Minister of Transport and Logistics, Hon. Eng. Counsel Museba Frank Tayali, during the Interstate Council of Ministers Meeting in Kinshasa, DRC. The high-level meeting was chaired by Jean-Pierre Bemba, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of the DRC.
Zimbabwe Opens Rail Network to Private Players Amid Rising Mineral Demand
Zimbabwe’s state-owned railway operator, National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ), has opened its network to private companies, including a unit of South Africa’s Grindrod, to boost freight volumes that have plummeted after years of underinvestment. Once transporting 12 million tons of cargo annually in the 1990s, NRZ now hauls less than 3 million tons due to a lack of locomotives and poor infrastructure maintenance. This decline was exacerbated by a sharp
Zambia Signs MoU to Boost Trade Through Lobito Corridor
The Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Quality Institutions (NQI) to implement the Lobito Corridor Trade Facilitation Project, supported by an African Development Bank grant of US$8.1 million. This project aims to enhance both domestic and cross-border trade between Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The NQI comprises key regulatory bodies, including the Zambia Metrology Agency
Congo Airways Granted 90-Day Moratorium to Resume Operations and Expand Fleet
Congo Airways SA has been granted a 90-day moratorium by the International Civil Aviation Organization (IATA) and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Civil Aviation Authority. The Ministry of Transport, Communication Routes, and Disenclavement announced this extension on Monday, September 16, 2024, via their official X account. This moratorium is intended to allow Congo Airways to finalize the return to service of one of its Airbus A320 aircraft, registered as 9S-AKD,
DRC Relaunches Air Congo with Inaugural Flight Set for December
The Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), under Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka, has revived its plans to establish a new national airline, “Air Congo SA.” During the 14th Council of Ministers meeting held on Friday, September 20, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, confirmed that the project, stalled since 2023, is back on track. The inaugural flight is scheduled for December 1,
Transnet Enhances South African Port Operations with New Shore Tension Units
Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has delivered six hydraulic shore tension units to the Ports of Cape Town and Ngqura, aiming to reduce shipping and cargo delays caused by high swells and adverse weather conditions. This recent delivery increases the total number of units to 12, part of a larger batch of 52 shore tension systems procured in September 2023. Previously, eight units were already installed at these ports. The
TAAG Partners with Habana Forwarding to Expand Cargo Services
TAAG, Angola’s national airline, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Habana Forwarding to enhance the transport of cargo and mail on the Luanda-Lisbon-Luanda and Luanda-Havana-Luanda routes. The one-year renewable agreement positions TAAG as Habana Forwarding’s preferred operator, enabling the transportation of diverse cargo to intercontinental destinations, particularly in the Americas, Africa, and Europe. The agreement was formalized by TAAG’s commercial director, Miguel Carneiro, and Habana Forwarding’s chairman, Cenén Portuindo