'Moving Rwanda' digital mobility concept kicks off
The concept aims at implementing environmentally friendly car-sharing models with plans for the utilisation of electric cars as a further future goal.
Germany supports the initiative by establishing a digitisation centre for specialised personnel and know-how transfer in the capital Kigali, together with Rwandan partners. Besides its collaboration with Volkswagen - which will start the production of Volkswagen cars in Kigali in the near future - the BMZ is also partnering with Siemens, SAP, and Inros Lackner to implement the concept.
“We want to provide modern training opportunities for Rwanda‘s youth”, Federal Minister Gerd Müller says. "By doing that, we provide these young people with future prospects in their home country – as mechanics for fleet maintenance or as software developers. This is a further commitment with respect to the concrete implementation of our ‘Marshallplan with Africa’”.
"Ambitious plans for smart mobility"
With regard to economic growth, digitisation and urban development Rwanda is one of the leading countries in Africa. The country has ambitious plans for smart mobility: in 2016 Rwanda introduced a bus system with onboard Wi-Fi, bicycle traffic received active support and pedestrian pavements are currently being built.
“African cities are facing major challenges. Already today half a billion people live there, soon there will be twice as many. We need sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility concepts, otherwise, the cities will drown in traffic jams, air pollution and noise.
"With the ‘Moving Rwanda’ project, we want to provide digital solutions. Three in four Africans have a cell phone, but only 4% own a car. The tech-savvy population can now use an app to find a car-sharing opportunity or to rent a car. Such modern mobility concepts provide signal effects for all of Africa,” says Müller.
