The New Lobito Corridor: Economics & Logistics Development in The Copperbelt

This essay is about the economic resilience in copper and cobalt production leading presently to the secured development with state of the art transportation

infrastructure in the strategic Copperbelt Region (Angola, Zambia and DRC).

Following subjects will be addressed:

*The new "Lobito Atlantic International" Strategic Logistics Entry

*Theoretical framework: from the economic resilience for more than thirty years in Copper and Cobalt production to the secured development in transportation infrastructure

*Rationale of this essay

*Cost-benefit analysis

*Geopolitics aspects of the infrastructure aspects

*The United States Government' s implication for Welfare & Infrastructure development in Angola, Zambia and DRC

*Advantages for local communities besides the Global Mining Industry interests.

"Factfulness"

Introducing Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling R?nnlund' s Perspectives on Global Sciences

Factfulness is a posthumous book by statistian and physician Hans Rosling. The premise of the book is that most humans are wrong about the state of the world. The negative aspects of the world are often put forward. The world is presented as being poorer, less healthy and more dangerous than available statistics reveal. Instead of dividing the world into developed/developing countries, Rosling suggests the concept of four income brackets. Moreover he develops the theory of ten instincts that prevent the human race from progressing. This book is highly recommended in Global Studies.

Factfulness Analysis

Factfulness is the stress-reducinc habit of only carrying opinions for which you have strongly supported facts. This set of tools should strongly assist while processing information. In this discovery analysis, attention should be paid to the following ten instincts: gap instinct, negativity instinct, straight line instinct, the fear instinct, the size instinct, the generalization instinct, the destiny instinct, the single perspective instinct, the blame instinct and the urgency instinct.

1.Gap Instinct

The gap instinct is about the habit of dividing subjects into two groups. This reinforced by labelization. That is to say identifying the groups as being good versus evil and rich against poor. The typical illustration is how countries are identified as being developed or developing. These labels were introduced in the 1960s. This instinct category is an "us" versus "them" mentality.

As developed in my previous research this corridor is the optimal option for shipments of copper and cobalt from the Copperbelt countries in Southern African Economic Region as these products classified as Critical Minerals by The United States Government and actually needed for transition to the Green Economy can currently be shipped at lower freight rate within a raisonalble time thanks to the significantly improved infrastrure including railways and the modern Lobito Seaport on the Atlantic Ocean.

Following this scheme, Ivanhoe Mines selects Lobito Corridor as preferred Logistics route (August 22, 2023. Canadian mining firm Ivanhoe Mines' Subsidiary in DRC, Kamoa Copper Company, has established a collaborative alliance with Logistics Firm Lobito Atlantic International. The aim of this strategic partnership is to facilitate the carriage of copper concentrate from the Kamoa-Kakula mine, located in the Lualaba Province (DRC) through the Lobito Corridor. The focal point of this venture is the utilization of a 1,732 Km railway line extending from Lobito in Angola to Kolwezi in DRC.

This railway route presents a cost-effective and practical advantages to convey essential minerals from the Company in Kolwezi. Highlighting the significance of

this development, Robert Friedland, the Executive Co-Chairman of the Canadian

Ivanhoe Mines Firm emphasized that the Lobito Corridor will evolve into a pivotal trade conduit for copper and other critical minerals originating from this

strategically vital African region. These metals play a crucial role in fulfilling the

the global need for resources essential to drive the planet' s energy transition

(Constance, CopperbeltKatanga Mining, August 22, 2023).

1.The New "Lobito Atlantic International" Strategic Logistics Entry

It' s a logistics chain comprising the following parts:

*The Lobito Seaport

*The railways running from Lobito to the City of Kolwezi, including the Zambian National railways.

...

(To be continued...)