KIGALI: Viewed by some as "sportswashing" and by others as an overly ambitious, grandiose project, the prospect of a Formula 1 Grand Prix in Rwanda has provoked reaction at home and abroad.

The government touts the initiative as a significant "investment in Rwanda's future", slated for sometime in the early 2030s.

On Tuesday, Kigali put on a glitzy ceremony to announce the "historic" agreement between Rwanda, the organisation that owns Formula 1, and the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

A landlocked country still widely associated with a horrific genocide in 1994, Rwanda has used sports to revamp its image, attract tourists and impress investors with its organisational efficiency.