DRC Joins Global Rail Treaty to Boost Lobito Corridor
DRC has joined the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, a move expected to attract private rail investment and support the Lobito Corridor.
Published:
June 22, 2026 at 4:22:29 PM
Modified:
June 22, 2026 at 4:28:24 PM
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has taken a major step toward modernizing its railway sector by formally acceding to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol, an international treaty designed to facilitate private financing of railway rolling stock.
On 4 June 2026, the DRC deposited its instrument of accession to the Protocol at UNIDROIT in Rome. The move makes the DRC the second Southern African Development Community (SADC) member state to join the treaty. The Protocol will enter into force for the DRC on 1 October 2026.
What is the Luxembourg Rail Protocol?
The Luxembourg Rail Protocol is part of the broader Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment. It establishes a clear international legal framework for recognizing, prioritizing, and enforcing the rights of creditors, lessors, and financiers in railway rolling stock (locomotives, wagons, and other equipment).
By providing greater legal certainty and protection for investors, the Protocol significantly reduces risk and makes it easier, and cheaper, for countries to attract private capital for rail projects.
Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka welcomed the accession, stating:
“We are delighted that DRC has acceded to the Luxembourg Rail Protocol and is now the second SADC contracting state. As our neighbours also move forward with accession, we look forward to seamless, cost-effective private finance for rolling stock moving around the SADC network.”
The development holds particular strategic weight for the Lobito Corridor, a vital 1,739-kilometre railway route linking the mineral-rich Copperbelt region (in DRC and Zambia) to the Angolan port of Lobito on the Atlantic coast. The corridor is seen as one of Africa’s most promising logistics projects, offering a faster and more secure export route for copper, cobalt, and other critical minerals.
Jamie Holley, CEO of Traxtion (a major African rolling stock lessor), noted:
"The large investments into uplifting the condition of the railways serving the DRC from the ports of Lobito and Dar es Salaam make the DRC an important railway country. DRC’s accession to the Luxembourg Protocol will lift the business case for the investment at scale into trains to operate on this upgraded railway infrastructure.”
The Rail Working Group (RWG) described the accession as a milestone that will create new business opportunities and help unlock large-scale rail investment across Southern and Central Africa. It is expected to support ongoing rehabilitation and expansion efforts along key corridors, improve freight capacity, boost regional trade, and strengthen supply chains for critical minerals.
The DRC’s move also signals growing momentum across the SADC region, where several neighbouring countries are now considering or advancing accession to the Protocol.
With the Protocol set to take effect in October 2026, the DRC is positioning itself to attract private financiers and lessors more effectively. This could accelerate modernization of its extensive but often underfunded rail network and contribute to broader economic goals of infrastructure development and regional integration.T
the accession marks a significant win for rail finance in Africa and underscores the DRC’s commitment to leveraging international legal tools for sustainable development.
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