In brief
- On Nov 13, 2023, Wardheer News reported a $600 billion Lobito Corridor project and floated a hypothetical Hobyo–Matadi corridor.
- The report includes Ethiopia's port access concerns and GERD fundraising, all attributed to Wardheer News.
- No official endorsement, signed agreements, or implementation updates for the Hobyo–Matadi idea are established.
On 13 November 2023, Wardheer News published a report headlined 'Lapsset of 2063': With love from Hobyo, through Ethiopia, to Matadi port in DRC. The article claims that the US, European Union, African Development Bank, and Africa Finance Corporation launched a $600 billion project to develop the Lobito Corridor to the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the Zambia–Lobito railway. The report does not specify an exact launch date and provides no signed agreement confirming the $600 billion figure.
Wardheer News also states that the Chinese government approved the state-owned China Railway Construction Corporation to negotiate a concession for the operation of the Tazara railway line. Approval to negotiate is not a signed concession, and the report does not indicate that an agreement has been concluded.
Ethiopia's port access goals feature in the report. Wardheer News cites Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as saying the question of permanent port access for his landlocked country had to be addressed. Ethiopia is described as Africa's second most populous nation and the world's largest landlocked country. No date or venue is given for the prime minister's statement.
The article considers the Lapsset corridor, the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport Corridor linking Kenya's Lamu Port with South Sudan and Ethiopia, as a route for Ethiopia's access. It also raises a hypothetical Hobyo–Matadi corridor linking Somalia's Hobyo through Ethiopia to Matadi port in DRC. This remains an author's idea with no official endorsement, funding, or technical study cited.
On the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Wardheer News reports that Ethiopia set a goal of raising $1 billion from Ethiopians and quickly raised $450 million. The report does not state the fundraising goal was met.
What has happened since 13 November 2023 is not established by the Wardheer News report. No updates on the Hobyo–Matadi idea, Lobito Corridor implementation, Tazara negotiations, or port access outcomes are provided.
Frequently asked questions
What are the proposed components of Lapsset?
Wardheer News describes Lapsset as linking Kenya's Lamu Port with South Sudan and Ethiopia, part of a wider continental rail vision.
What is the current status of each link?
The report does not provide current status updates for Lapsset, Lobito, or Tazara beyond the approvals reported on 13 November 2023.
What are the main obstacles to implementation?
Known unknowns include no signed agreements for the $600 billion figure, no official endorsement for the Hobyo–Matadi idea, and no confirmed GERD fundraising completion.