Leaders and investors at Angola Infrastructure Summit | economy

The Third Summit on Financing Infrastructure Development in Africa kicked off on Wednesday in the Angolan capital, Luanda, with the participation of country leaders and global investors, under the patronage of the Angolan President and the President of the African Union, João Lourenço.

The summit continues until October 31, and aims to translate its slogan “Capital, Corridors, Trade: Investing in Infrastructure for a Free Trade Area and Shared Prosperity” into practical plans that respond to financing needs and support economic integration.

The summit is organized by the African Union Commission and the African Union Development Agency (NEPAD) in partnership with the Government of Angola, with the participation of heads of state, ministers, heads of multilateral development banks and leaders from the private sector.

The summit program focuses on strategic sectors that include transportation and trade corridors by financing cross-border railways and modernizing civil aviation within the single African air transport market, in addition to developing corridors such as the Lobito corridor.

It also addresses the energy sector by accelerating the establishment of the single African electricity market and promoting green electrical connectivity, in addition to digital transformation through investments in digital infrastructure from broadband to data centers and digital identity, as well as water and sanitation through innovative financing models.

One of the highlights of the summit is the “Project Rooms”, where major initiatives are presented to investors, including the large Inga hydropower project, the Lobito Corridor railway, transcontinental communications cables, and regional water initiatives.

It is expected that the outcomes of the Luanda Summit will contribute to advancing the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area and the infrastructure development program in Africa, thus enhancing interconnection and competitiveness.