SADC Ministers to meet over Kasumbalesa challenges

By Tamara Muswala

The Southern African Development Community -SADC – will convene an Inter-Ministerial Task Force Meeting of Ministers responsible for Trade, Transport, Infrastructure, and Security to address challenges at the Kasumbalesa Border Post.

SADC Head of Communications and Public Relations BARBARA LOPI said the meeting will focus on reviewing current challenges at the Kasumbalesa border post and deliberate on a corridor-wide action plan for infrastructure development, transport, and trade facilitation to resolve the existing issues effectively.

She told ZNBC News Kitwe that SADC will adopt a corridor-wide approach to address ongoing challenges at Kasumbalesa border posts which is of strategic importance for intra-regional trade.

Meanwhile, the United States Government has expressed support for the Lobito Corridor project, which runs through Angola, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo -DRC.

According to the BBC, U.S. chargé d’affaires and acting ambassador to Angola, JAMES STORY, told reporters that the United States is committed to the project.

Mr. STORY added that the U.S will continue to work with its partners to bring the project to fruition.

The Lobito Corridor involves constructing an 800-kilometer rail line that will connect Angola’s Benguela Railway to Zambia’s Chingola Rail Line.