Lusaka | May 18, 2026 – The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri SC, this morning joined regional and international partners at the official launch of the Japanese-funded United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Project on Promoting Economic Development, Trade Facilitation and a Responsible Business Environment Along the Lobito Corridor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lusaka, the high-level launch brought together government leaders, diplomats, law enforcement agencies, development partners and the private sector around one of Africa\u2019s most ambitious regional integration and infrastructure initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Lobito Corridor links Angola\u2019s Atlantic Port of Lobito to Zambia\u2019s Copperbelt and the Democratic Republic of Congo\u2019s mineral-rich provinces, positioning the three countries as a strategic trade and logistics hub connecting Africa to global markets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Implemented by UNODC with support from the Government of Japan, the one-year project seeks to promote sustainable economic growth and responsible business practices along the Lobito Corridor by strengthening governance systems, enhancing border security, and addressing financial and regulatory vulnerabilities that threaten trade integrity and investor confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Delivering the keynote address at the launch of the project, Attorney General Mr. Mulilo Kabesha, SC described the Lobito Corridor as \u201cfar more than a transport route,\u201d calling it a strategic economic lifeline capable of transforming trade, investment, industrial growth and regional cooperation across Southern and Central Africa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFor Zambia, the Corridor presents a historic opportunity to strengthen our position as a regional trade and logistics hub, unlock value from our mineral and agricultural sectors, reduce the cost of doing business, and connect our people and enterprises to global markets with greater efficiency,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Attorney General stressed, however, that sustainable economic growth must be anchored on strong governance, transparency, accountability and ethical business conduct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The launch comes amid growing momentum behind the corridor following a series of major international agreements and financing commitments involving Zambia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the European Union, the United States, the African Development Bank and other partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Key milestones include the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding signed by the US, EU, Zambia, Angola, DRC, AfDB and Africa Finance Corporation on transport infrastructure and trade facilitation; Zambia\u2019s 2025 agreements with the AfDB and EU for railway and road development within the corridor; and the \u20ac200 million EU-Zambia funding agreements signed later that year. Earlier this year, the three member states also endorsed a shared master plan and joint investment platform aimed at easing border procedures and reducing transport costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collectively backed by more than US$10 billion in public and private commitments, the Lobito Corridor is expected to stimulate industrialisation, regional integration, private sector growth and cross-border trade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking during the launch, Japanese Ambassador to Zambia His Excellency MIKAMI Akiteru commended Zambia\u2019s inter-agency coordination efforts under the leadership of Director of Public Prosecutions and Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Coordination and Collaboration Framework, Mr. Gilbert Phiri, SC, noting that more than twenty-two institutions had been brought together to strengthen responses to financial crime and illicit financial flows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Beatrice Mutali described the Corridor as \u201cmore than infrastructure,\u201d emphasizing that governance, institutional safeguards and regional cooperation would be critical to ensuring that economic opportunities are not undermined by illicit activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo to Zambia, H.E. Mr. Albino Malungo, and H.E. Mr. Bapaga Tepupileka Serge Didier, respectively, similarly stressed the importance of transparency, accountability and inclusive development in ensuring the corridor delivers meaningful benefits to local communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through its leadership of the Inter-Agency Coordination and Collaboration Framework, the National Prosecution Authority continues to play a central role in strengthening cooperation against corruption, illicit financial flows and organised crime in support of sustainable economic development and investor confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The launch also marks the beginning of a series of engagements scheduled under the project framework including a Public Private
Sector Workshop in Ndola on 20-21 June 2026, an Inter-Agency Criminal Justice Workshop on
Safeguarding the Lobito Corridor in Northwest
Province, Solwezi and a second Inter-Agency Criminal Justice Workshop in Ndola from 9\u201311 June 2026; and a Workshop with Private Sector Stakeholders on Illicit Financial Flows Risks and Trade Integrity along the Lobito Corridor in Solwezi from 30 June to 2 July 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Lusaka | May 18, 2026 – The Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. Gilbert A. Phiri SC, this morning joined regional and international partners at the official launch of the Japanese-funded United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Project on Promoting Economic Development, Trade Facilitation and a Responsible Business Environment Along the Lobito Corridor. Held […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":6005,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_eb_attr":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"table_tags":[],"class_list":["post-6004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n