German group Volkswagen wants to install a car assembly plant in the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone (SEZ), with an initial production of 5,000 cars, the group’s president for South Africa said.

Thomas Schaefer, during a guided visit of approximately an hour and a half to premises where the assembly line will operate, added that there is still no precise date for the assembly line to start operating.

The Jornal de Angola newspaper reported that an area with infrastructure, electricity and drinking water has been set aside for the future Volkswagen vehicle assembly line and over 20,000 square meters is available for the expansion of the project.

Schaefer’s announcement was made at the same time as the 8th Angola-Germany Economic Forum, as part of a visit of a few hours to the country by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

t the forum, President João Lourenço requested the support of Germany to transform Angola into a prosperous and modern country, which is able to give its people better-living conditions.

Considering that the entire investment is welcome and equally protected, Angolan President said that it is in the interest of the country that the Germans invest in the iron and steel industry, in the automobile industry, in agriculture, in shipbuilding, in the pharmaceutical industry, in textiles, in tourism and in other branches of their own interest.

Lourenço announced that the government also plans to implement public-private partnerships to build a road, rail, port, energy, water, and telecommunications infrastructure, which are essential to increase national production and productivity.