Attorney General Mulilo Kabesha, has officially launched a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Project aimed at promoting economic development, trade facilitation and responsible business along the Lobito Corridor.

Speaking at the event, Mr Kabesha said the corridor is more than a transport route, but a strategic economic lifeline with potential to redefine trade, investment, industrial growth, and regional cooperation across Southern and Central Africa.

Mr Kabesha further stated that the project, funded by the government of Japan and implemented with UNODC and other partners, seeks to strengthen governance, transparency and anti-corruption measures as trade and investment along the corridor increase.

“Africa’s prosperity will be built through cooperation, connectivity, and collective ambition,” he said.

Japanese Ambassador to Zambia, Takeuchi Kazuyuki, has pledged continued support to Zambia and the DRC to build a Lobito Corridor that drives trade while upholding integrity, transparency and inclusivity.

“The Lobito Corridor is not merely a transport route. It is a right path for regional integration, trade and prosperity,” he said, adding that while the corridor offers transformative opportunities, it also faces serious risks, including illicit financial flows such as tax evasion and smuggling, and inconsistent enforcement.

And, DRC Ambassador to Zambia, Didier Bapanga, said the Lobito corridor offers Africa a new chapter to write and grow the economy.