On a visit to the Lobito Corridor (Benguela, southern Angola), Samantha Power, addressed the catalytic role of US funding to unlock "the potential of the Angolan people" and pointed out the advantages of this railway connection to help transform Angola into a commercial 'hub'.

She stressed, on the other hand, that the US objectives for the Lobito Corridor, which crosses Angola connecting the port of Lobito, on the Atlantic coast, to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, is not only to build the infrastructure, but to do it well.

For this, the procedures must be transparent and open, in order to favor quality work and create jobs for local communities, she added.

In this context, the same official announced a new USAID partnership with the Angolan executive, in the amount of 3.5 million dollars (3.26 million euros), to promote greater transparency in public tenders, which also involves deepening work with civil society, the media and institutions so that Angolans "receive fair value for what they paid for".

"These are state resources that need to be protected," she stressed, emphasizing the importance of a system of checks and balances in governance.

Samantha Power said that Angola has made progress in the fight against corruption in recent years, but added that significant improvements are needed to attract private investment.

"Angola cannot fully achieve its economic potential if investors are not confident that they can operate transparently and that the rule of law prevails," said the USAID official.

She also noted that, with the current heads of state, the relationship between Angola and the United States is stronger than ever, and considered that it will not be affected if the White House has a new tenant after the next presidential elections, on November 5.

"The US has values and interests that endure, which are reflected in the deepening of this relationship, so I believe that they will endure not only in the next electoral cycle, but over many generations," continued Samantha Power.

The Angolan Minister of Transport, Ricardo Abreu, stated that the Government remains committed to the national railway plan, estimating that it will launch the concession of the Moçâmedes railway corridor (south) this year.

He admitted, on the other hand, that the financing method for these projects "is the great challenge", appealing to the development of the private sector.

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