EU’s flagship Africa project under fire over ties to Chinese state-owned firms

The European Union's flagship Lobito Corridor railway project, a centerpiece of its €300 billion (US$346 billion) Global Gateway infrastructure strategy, is facing intense scrutiny from EU lawmakers. The project aims to upgrade a rail line from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia to Angola's Atlantic port of Lobito, creating a vital export route for copper and cobalt. These minerals are critical for the EU's green and digital transitions, and the corridor is explicitly designed to reduce dependence on China's dominance in critical mineral supply chains. However, the initiative is now embroiled in controversy as legislators demand answers about whether over US$2.3 billion in EU funds pledged by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is ultimately benefiting Chinese state-owned enterprises involved in the construction.

The core tension lies in the project's strategic paradox. Conceived as a democratic alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Lobito Corridor is meant to wean Europe off Beijing's "chokehold" on critical minerals. Yet, reports suggest that Chinese contractors may be executing significant portions of the rail upgrade. This has sparked accusations that European taxpayer money is indirectly financing the very geopolitical rival the project seeks to counter, undermining its strategic and economic sovereignty goals. The controversy highlights the complex realities of global infrastructure development, where technical capacity, financing, and geopolitical objectives often collide.