CMAG, in partnership with Watson Farley & Williams, was pleased to host an insightful discussion on The Lobito Corridor: A Strategic Nexus in Geopolitics, Finance and Infrastructure. The event brought together leading experts from geopolitics, finance, infrastructure, and critical minerals to explore the corridor's transformative potential for Angola and the wider region.

We extend our sincere thanks to Watson Farley & Williams for hosting the event.

Speakers included:

• Abiola Osho, Vice President, Transport and Logistics, Africa Finance Corporation
• Helaina Matza, Chief Strategic Development Officer, TechMet
• Lorenzo Ortona, Counsellor, Deputy National Co-ordinator, Mattei Plan Task Force, Government of Italy
• Natznet Tesfay, Vice President, Head of Analysis Global Insight, S&P Global Market Intelligence; Board Adviser, CMAG
• Sarah Ellington, Partner, Watson Farley & Williams

"The Lobito Corridor is far more than a railway—it's a strategic platform for regional integration, investment and global partnerships. Its complexity is a challenge managed through shared political leadership, robust multilateral architecture and a long-term vision. Italy, through the Mattei Plan for Africa, plays a key role in mobilizing resources and fostering cooperation alongside DFIs and partner governments, turning risks into opportunities for innovation and private capital. Lobito proves that international collaboration and good governance can deliver shared value and lasting stability for the entire region." – Lorenzo Ortona, Counsellor, Deputy National Co-ordinator, Mattei Plan Task Force, Government of Italy

"Lobito is a significant flagship project for Angola, Zambia, DRC and the continent at large as it goes beyond the rail line itself but represents a backbone to industrialise the region by building the ecosystem around the ancillary value chains such as agriculture and critical mineral beneficiation." – Abiola Osho, Vice President, Transport and Logistics, Africa Finance Corporation

"The Lobito corridor is a strategic gambit to reshape critical mineral supply chains and unlock beneficiation and economic transformation prospects in Africa. The panel and discussion underscored the opportunities for creative public-private partnership to realize such a monumental cross-border project – a precedent for integrated resource development elsewhere on the continent leaning into wider strategic competition and renewed focus on energy security." – Natznet Tesfay, Vice President, Head of Analysis Global Insight, S&P Global Market Intelligence; Board Adviser, CMAG

"The Lobito Corridor embodies the priorities and values that the G7's Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment was created to deliver. Through investments in the copper-cobalt belt in central Africa, alongside investments across digital access, energy, infrastructure, and agriculture, the Corridor became a proof of concept for connecting countries to one another and to Western markets, creating economic opportunity, increasing connectivity with G7-aligned partners, and catalyzing private capital." – Helaina Matza, Chief Strategic Development Officer, TechMet

Key takeaways from the discussion included:

• Significant progress on the Lobito Corridorhas been achieved despite its complexity, scale, and the involvement of multiple stakeholders. The project's advancement reflects careful coordination and strategic vision.
• The success of public-private partnershipsand a "coalition of the willing" demonstrates the strong collective commitment to ensuring the corridor's success.
• International support remains strong: despite administration changes, the United States remains committed to upgrading the corridor, and all parties — including the Italian government — are working closely with the Africa Finance Corporation on investment.
• The corridor is emerging asmore than just a transport route for minerals: it is enabling further exploration, supporting ancillary businesses, and creating opportunities for energy generation and improved connectivity.
• The corridor facilitatesinland imports of essential goods, including food products, enhancing supply chains and regional resilience.
• Much more is neededto overcome bottlenecks and ensure the corridor fully enables industrialisation, including investment in reliable and affordable energy sources such as gas.
• Overall, the corridor represents abroader opportunity for economic growth and social development, with the potential to improve quality of life for communities across the region.

The event underscored the strategic significance of the Lobito Corridor as a catalyst for economic, industrial, and infrastructural development, reinforcing its role as a critical nexus in regional and global supply chains.