Zambia and Angola are set to sign an agreement for the construction of an oil pipeline connecting the two neighbours in a move expected to ease Lusaka’s fuel challenges, APA learnt here on Wednesday.
Angola’s Ministry of Mineral Resources said in a statement that the issue came up for discussion during this week’s meeting between its energy minister Diamantino de Azevedo and Lusaka’s ambassador to Angola, Lawrence Chalungumana.
It said de Azevedo and his Zambian counterpart Mathew Nkhuwa are set to sign a memorandum of understanding on April 19 for the construction of the pipeline that would see Zambia getting diesel from Angola.
The ministry revealed that Zambia had shown interest three years ago in building a multi-product pipeline from the city of Lobito in Angola’s Benguela province to enable the supply of diesel, gasoline and gas to Lusaka.
The announcement comes in the wake of a recent shortage of fuel that crippled businesses in Zambia in the past few weeks.
JN/APA