Abstract

Railways in Africa: Strategic Issues and Sino-American Rivalries on the TAZARA and LOBITO Corridors

NIMBWE TAMBWE FIDEL, KABAMBA MAKOFI MARC

Volume: 15 Issue: 4 2025

Abstract:

The article "The Railway in Africa: Strategic Stakes and Sino-American Rivalries on the TAZARA and Lobito Corridors" analyses the geopolitical and economic dimension of global interest in African railways. The TAZARA corridor, a symbol of bold Sino-African cooperation in the 1970s, remains a symbol of Chinese engagement in Africa. Moreover, the Lobito corridor, now supported by the United States under the Partnership for Global Infrastructure (PGII), is a Western response to China's advance. These two railway corridors, strategic due to their location and economic potential, have become battlegrounds between China and the United States, particularly in the race for critical resources (cobalt, copper, lithium). The study shows how this geopolitical rivalry reshapes the balance of power in Africa, while raising issues of sovereignty, governance, and sustainability for African nations. Through an approach that blends critical geopolitics and international relations, the article demonstrates that the African railway is more than just a development tool: it has become a lever of strategic influence. The author advocates for a strong African awareness, so that these railway projects align with an autonomous, controlled, and beneficial vision for the African peoples.

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