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Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, visited Angola on January 24 and 25th of 2024 to further discuss and develop the numerous bilateral agreements made during the 2023 US-Africa Leaders summit in Washington, DC. At a news conference in Luanda with his Angolan counterpart, Foreign Minister Tete Antonio, Blinken mentioned the Lobito Corridor:
"I had a chance today to see some of the dramatic progress that's already been made in building out this corridor. It is moving faster and further I think that we might have imagined."
According to the official press release from the Department of State, Secretary Blinken will revisit several issues discussed at last year’s summit, including Peace and Security, Economic Ties and Investment, Food Security, Democracy, Climate Change, and a host of other topics. Chief among the topics will certainly be America's recent investment in Angolan rail infrastructure. With the Lobito Corridor receiving direct investment from the US Government and the Northern Corridor signing an MOU with Texas based All-American Rail Group, the United States is keen to improve logistics for minerals and food within Angola and the southern Africa region.
As confidence in Angolan institutions grows, and investment continues to develop in the southern Africa region, Angola stands to benefit from the improving relations with the United States. Angola is the last of four stops in Africa for Secretary Blinken following the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
