Up to 6,500 people may lose their homes due to the Lobito Corridor project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), says campaign group Global Witness. This multi-billion-dollar plan, funded by the EU and the US, aims to upgrade the old Benguela railway from the DRC to Angola's coast. The project will also improve ports, add a railway to Zambia, and support farming and solar energy. The railway upgrade helps export copper, cobalt, and other minerals needed for electric car batteries. Western countries, China, and Gulf states are competing for these critical minerals. Global Witness analyzed satellite photos and found around 1,200 buildings at risk of being demolished along the railway stretch from Kolwezi to the Angolan border. Most are in Kolwezi, where poorer families have built homes and businesses near the tracks. Previously, construction bans near the tracks were rarely enforced. Since the 1980s, the line was mostly unused until recently. The Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) consortium—including companies from Portugal, Singapore, and Belgium—won a 30-year contract to run the railway in 2023. Some residents say they bought land from vendors or railway workers with company-granted plots. However, local land minister Jean-Pierre Kalenga called these residents "illegals." A community leader, Emmanuel, and a local NGO head, Donat Kambola, disagreed, saying people have lived there for decades without restrictions. Disputes exist over how wide the no-construction buffer zone should be; LAR says 10 meters from tracks, while others say 25 meters. LAR stated, "Lobito Atlantic Railway consortium is providing financing for the existing railway in the DRC, in exchange for use of the line. SNCC retains full responsibility for the line’s maintenance and operation within the DRC. LAR Consortium is not aware of, and has not been presented with, any evidence to support the claim that 6,500 people... could be displaced." Residents fear forced evictions without compensation. Some have already seen homes destroyed without payment for roads or mines. LAR promised $455 million for Angola's 835-mile section and $100 million for the DRC’s 249-mile segment. The US gave a $553 million loan for Angola's port and railway, and the EU granted €50 million to improve Zambia's railways. An EU spokesperson said the project is early-stage and full studies on social and environmental impacts are ongoing. "The EU applies the highest social and environmental standards," they added. They said no current rehabilitation works are being done by the EU, so they have no further details now.