If everything goes according to plan, the first car “made in Rwanda” could be on the streets as early as May, according to the German automobile giant. After South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya, Rwanda is the fourth African country in which VW has invested.
“I think we have come to the right place,” said Thomas Schäfer, managing director of VW in South Africa. “The attention, the focus and the will is here to implement this.” Moreover, Schäfer said, he was impressed by the support from Rwanda’s government right from the signing of the letter of intent in December 2016. He spoke of the government’s anti-corruption drive and Rwanda’s tech savvy younger population. The invester-friendly climate is one of the reasons why Rwanda is often treated as a “darling of the West,” despite its democratic deficits.
Rwanda’s Clare Akamanzi and Volkswagen South Africa head Thomas Schäfer announce…