America's Biggest Weakness Just Got Exposed By China

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 14:11:50 +0000

The US is spending billions on the Lobito Corridor railway in Africa to secure critical minerals like copper and cobalt from the DRC and Zambia after China restricted exports of gallium and germanium. Here's why this $6 billion infrastructure project changes everything for African development and global supply chains.

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For decades, Western governments called railways in Africa bad investments. Then China started restricting the minerals that power everything from electric vehicles to fighter jets. Suddenly, Washington and Brussels are writing billion-dollar checks for train tracks through Angola, the DRC, and Zambia.
In this episode of The Strategic Lens, we break down the real story behind the Lobito Corridor, the largest US-backed infrastructure project in Africa. We trace it from its colonial roots as the Benguela Railway, through China's $2 billion reconstruction, to its current status as the centerpiece of America's scramble for African minerals.
We cover:
• How China's export ban on gallium and germanium forced a US policy shift
• The $6 billion being poured into one railway across three African countries
• The December 2025 US-DRC minerals deal most people don't know about
• Why local communities call the project both a 'lifesaver' and 'modern plunder'
• How Angola, DRC, and Zambia can use this moment to demand more

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