Thousands in DRC could face eviction from Lobito Corridor railway

A Global Witness investigation warns that the rehabilitation of the Lobito Corridor railway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) threatens low-income residents of Kolwezi with forced evictions. The report highlights a critical gap in legal protections, as the project is governed by the 1977 Law of Expropriation for Public Utility—which only requires compensation—rather than the more stringent 2002 Mining Code. Legal ambiguities regarding land titles, particularly those involving the national rail company (SNCC), and disputes over the width of the railway's buffer zone further expose residents to displacement. The report argues that the EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) could provide a mechanism for accountability for companies like Trafigura and Mota-Engil, provided the law is not weakened by proposed amendments. It concludes with recommendations for the EU, the DRC government, and investors to implement meaningful consultations, independent monitoring, and higher resettlement standards.

• The Lobito Corridor railway project, backed by the EU and US to facilitate critical mineral transport, risks causing widespread evictions in Kolwezi, DRC, particularly in low-income areas like the Bel Air neighbourhood.
• Displaced persons under the Lobito Corridor project are subject to the 1977 Law of Expropriation for Public Utility, which only mandates compensation, unlike the DRC's Mining Code which requires a higher standard of living for displaced people.
• There is significant disagreement among stakeholders regarding the required width of the railway buffer zone, with estimates ranging from 10m (LAR) to 20m (Congolese legislation) and 25m (local authorities in Kolwezi).
• Land ownership in Kolwezi is complicated by the Société Nationale des Chemins de Fer du Congo (SNCC), which previously gave land plots to unpaid workers who then sold them to private individuals, leading to contested titles.
• The EU's Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) could hold companies like Trafigura and Mota-Engil accountable for forced evictions, but the 'Omnibus' amendment introduced in February 2025 threatens to weaken these protections.
• The railway project may indirectly increase displacement by lowering transport costs, making it more viable for mining companies to expand existing mines or open new ones in populated areas.

APA

Global Witness (n.d.). Thousands in DRC could face eviction from Lobito Corridor railway. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/thousands-in-drc-could-face-eviction-from-lobito-corridor-railway/

Chicago

Global Witness. Thousands in DRC could face eviction from Lobito Corridor railway. n.d. https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/thousands-in-drc-could-face-eviction-from-lobito-corridor-railway/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Global Witness |title=Thousands in DRC could face eviction from Lobito Corridor railway |url=https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/thousands-in-drc-could-face-eviction-from-lobito-corridor-railway/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{globalwitnessndthousands, author = {{Global Witness}}, title = {{Thousands in DRC could face eviction from Lobito Corridor railway}}, institution = {Global Witness}, url = {https://globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/transition-minerals/thousands-in-drc-could-face-eviction-from-lobito-corridor-railway/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }