In Lusaka, Zambia, on 12 November 2025, European Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela announced over €200 million in Team Europe investments to boost Zambia’s industrial growth, skills development, and sustainable development under the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. The announcement was made at the EU–Zambia Lobito Corridor Business Forum, co-opened by President Hakainde Hichilema, which brought together over 700 participants including government officials, development partners, private investors, and financial institutions. The forum focused on transforming the Lobito Corridor into a strategic trade route connecting Africa’s Copperbelt to global markets and regional value chains.
The investment package targets key sectors including transport, energy, agriculture, education, and critical raw materials, and aligns with the EU–Zambia Memorandum of Understanding on Sustainable Raw Materials Value Chains. It embodies the Global Gateway approach of linking infrastructure investment with human capital, job creation, and sustainable industry development. Specific initiatives include a €50 million Railway Sector Support Programme to modernize Zambia Railways, a €20 million Nexus Energy–Water (NEWZA 2.0) Programme to improve water management and renewable energy use, and €40 million in budget support for education reforms to expand access to vocational and skills training.
Additional investments focus on supporting smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs. The €36 million ENTERPRISE Zambia 2.0 initiative, co-financed with €8 million from Germany, promotes sustainable agriculture and market access, while the €9.8 million Artisanal Mining Programme provides training and formalization for miners. Grants totaling €1.6 million under GREENTech4CE support green, circular, and digital SMEs, and a €30 million financing agreement with the European Investment Bank aims to strengthen lending for agribusinesses and women-led SMEs in climate-resilient value chains. The Ilute Solar Project also received €3.5 million under ElectriFi, marking one of the first private solar investments under Zambia’s new open-access energy framework.
The Lobito Corridor itself is a collaborative initiative by Zambia, Angola, and the Democratic Republic of Congo to develop a modern transport route linking the Copperbelt region to the Atlantic port of Lobito. It is expected to enhance trade efficiency, reduce transport costs, and create conditions for industrial growth and investment. This EU support underlines 50 years of EU–Zambia partnership and reinforces strategic cooperation in areas such as critical raw materials, transport connectivity, and sustainable resource management.
Through the Global Gateway strategy, the EU, its member states, and European development finance institutions aim to mobilize up to €300 billion in public and private investments by 2027. This approach seeks to close the global investment gap by fostering smart, clean, and secure connections in digital, energy, and transport sectors, while strengthening health, education, and research systems, and promoting sustainable development opportunities in partner countries like Zambia.
