USAID Freeze Threatens Lobito Corridor
The freezing of funds from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) could jeopardize the Lobito Corridor, a multi-million dollar project designed to transport important minerals from Central Africa to Angolan ports, Bloomberg reports.
The new US administration's orders to freeze development funding could thus open an opening for Beijing to win new partners in Africa.
The Lobito Corridor, which consists of a network of rail links spanning more than 2.500 kilometers to transport mineral resources from the most naturally rich regions of Zambia and Congo, countries bordering Angola, to Angolan ports, was supposed to receive co-financing from USAID, a funding now threatened by Trump's orders.
The agency was expected to contribute $250 (€238,9) to financial prospecting work, a slice of the total estimated $955,6 billion (€5 million) investment at this stage to be shared between the US and the EU. Added to this amount is an additional $4,78 million (€XNUMX million) for operational studies, Bloomberg reports.
This amount was kept captive by order of the White House, Bloomberg continues.
Despite the Trump administration's explicit focus on increasing US influence in regions of high interest and its desire to secure sources of critical materials in the digital economy of the future, its stance on this project points in another direction.
If the US abandons funding for the Corridor (something that remains uncertain, given domestic legal efforts in the US to block the end of USAID), it opens the door for China to increase its influence in the region, as Africa already has several key allies for Beijing.
This was highlighted by Zambian Transport Minister Frank Tayali, quoted by Bloomberg.
“My country was for a long time inclined towards alliances to the East.”
“The US should not create a vacuum here that other actors can fill”.
Conclusion
The uncertainty surrounding US funding for the Lobito Corridor raises questions about the US commitment to the region and its strategy for securing access to critical resources.
If the USAID blockade continues, Beijing could strengthen its presence in Africa, cementing strategic partnerships and securing the supply of minerals essential to its economy.
The outcome of this situation will depend on political decisions in Washington and the ability of Western allies to maintain their investments in African infrastructure.
Will the long-awaited Lobito Corridor really go down the drain with the freezing of USAID funds? We want to know your opinion, do not hesitate to comment and if you liked the article, share and give a “like/like”.
Picture: © 2025 Francisco Lopes-Santos
