Angolan and Congolese officials have inked a landmark 30-year concession agreement to rehabilitate, modernize, and operate the Dilolo-Sakania railway line connecting Lualaba Province to Haut-Katanga.

Under the deal, the Democratic Republic of Congo retains ownership of the infrastructure while holding at least 10% equity in the project company. All assets will revert to Kinshasa after three decades of private sector management.

The concession model shifts all financing and traffic-related risks to the operator, with no sovereign guarantees or operational subsidies from the DRC government. President Félix Tshisekedi emphasized the initiative’s economic potential: job creation, youth vocational training, local business integration, and technology transfer.

This cross-border corridor will transport minerals alongside agricultural products, industrial inputs, hydrocarbons, containers, consumer goods, and passengers. Luanda and Kinshasa are also aligning railway operations, tariffs, and customs procedures to streamline transit.

The $1.2 billion project includes transboundary road networks, logistics hubs, and energy infrastructure. Both nations are additionally prioritizing hydrocarbon cooperation and electricity interconnection to power the Katanga region.