Russian trucks to be assembled in DR Congo – envoy

Russian truck maker Kamaz is planning to build an assembly plant in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the African country’s ambassador to Moscow said in an interview with RIA Novosti news agency.

According to Ivan Vangu Ngimbi, the Congolese authorities are currently discussing plans for the facility in the capital, Kinshasa, with the Russian automaker.

“In addition to [supplying] spare parts, service and driver training for these vehicles, we are also discussing the possibility of setting up a plant to assemble Kamaz vehicles in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the future,” the ambassador said, without specifying the exact timeframe.

Ngimbi noted that he also held a meeting with the head of Kamaz, during which he discussed the potential for increasing the supply of Russian trucks to his country. Ngimbi noted that Kamaz vehicles are well known in DR Congo, and local drivers highly “appreciate their quality.”

Kamaz is Russia’s largest truck maker, with a market share of 23.5% as of February this year, according to Avtostat statistics service. The company is widely known for its cab-over trucks and also produces buses and car engines. The company’s heavy duty models are exported to many areas of the world including CIS countries, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

Kamaz trucks have won the Dakar Rally a record 19 times, the most in the truck category by any manufacturer.

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