The German Association of Automotive Industry (VDA) has joined forces with the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) as part of the ‘PartnerAfrica’ project of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
AAAM is an automotive association with a pan-African concept, established in 2015 by global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs, or vehicle manufacturers).
Partnership-based cooperation between VDA and AAAM promises to be mutually beneficial, says AAAM in its statement.
It should enable the automotive industry to improve access to sometimes difficult markets while, at the same time, it is also in the interests of German development policy to improve Africa’s local prospects by leveraging the private sector and creating sustainable jobs and mobility in partner countries.
The VDA-AAAM partnership considers itself as a driving force for dynamic growth, high innovation speed and state-of-the-art jobs, says AAAM.
For the VDA, cooperation with Africa focuses on expanding the sustainability agenda beyond products and production to include energy sources such as e-fuels and digital mobility solutions; expanding trade volume and investment; and further opening up market access for manufacturers and suppliers.
The development of local supply and value chains is equally important, notes AAAM. The promotion of training and employment are also on the agenda of the programme.
