Lobito Corridor & Critical Minerals: Angola’s Benguela Railway and the US-backed Lobito Corridor are moving deeper into the critical-minerals race, with DRC’s concession approval clearing a major step for the corridor’s Congolese section and a $553m DFC loan aimed at boosting freight capacity for copper and cobalt exports. Energy Infrastructure: Trafigura has reportedly withdrawn from a proposed 2,000MW Angola transmission line meant to power DRC and Zambia mining, leaving Angola’s surplus hydropower-to-minerals plans in negotiation. Privatization Push: Angola plans to sell shares in 10 state companies by end-2026, including Endiama, TAAG and Angola Telecom, as part of the 2019–2026 reform drive to modernize the economy and attract private capital. Economic Diversification: The Minister of State for Economic Coordination says diversification is the base for recovery, pointing to lower inflation and renewed private and infrastructure investment across telecoms, transport, agriculture and tourism. Education & Tech Partnerships: ISPTEC and AmCham-Angola signed a cooperation protocol with US links focused on research, innovation and areas like the energy transition and fertilizers. Human Capital for Industry: Angola’s OACPS push in Brussels calls for stronger institutional and financial capacity, while US-backed ANGEL Project activities in Huíla support school meals and learning for hundreds of pupils. Data Centres & Power Demand: Raxio Group reports $380m committed capital and a sixfold jump in signed power contracts, including expansion across Angola as AI and cloud workloads drive new electricity needs.