Mattei Plan for Africa: Zambian section of new Lobito Corridor rail line to be Italian-led – statement by Palazzo Chigi

THROUGH THE MATTEI PLAN, ITALY IS PLAYING A LEADING ROLE IN THE STRATEGIC AFRICA-ATLANTIC CORRIDOR The Mattei Plan for Africa is placing Italy at the helm of one of the African continent’s most strategic infrastructure projects. Africa Finance Corporation has named Webuild as the preferred bidder for the Zambian section of the new Lobito Corridor railway. The Italian company will head an international consortium, with Portugal’s Mota-Engil and Türkiye’s İçtaş, selected following an international tender process. During the 2024 G7 Summit at Borgo Egnazia, in Italy’s Apulia region, the Italian Government signed a memorandum of understanding as part of the Mattei Plan, launching the initiative together with Angola, Zambia, the European Union, the United States and the African Development Bank. Today’s achievement is the result of teamwork by the ‘Sistema Italia’: the Government worked with CDP and SACE to support the participation of Italian companies, alongside leading African and international financial institutions. The awarded contract regards the Zambian section (517 km) of a rail line stretching approximately 830 km, which will link Zambia with the Angolan port of Lobito, on the

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