THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is visiting Africa for three days; first Nigeria, then Ghana.
Scholz arrives Abuja on Sunday for a two-day working visit to Africa’s most populous country. While in Nigeria, the German leader will hold meetings with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and ECOWAS Commission President, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, according to his itinerary published by the German Embassy in Abuja.
Besides, Scholz is also expected to visit Lagos to open a Nigeria-German Business Conference organised by the Nigerian-German Chamber of Commerce.
While in Lagos, he will also interface Governor Babajide Sanwoolu as well as representatives of civil society and Nigerian start-up entrepreneurs.
Chancellor Scholz and his delegation will take a tour of the city of Lagos to gain insights into the challenges and opportunities presented by the megacity.
The visit holds barely three days after Nigeria’s Supreme Court affirmed President Tinubu’s victory at the 25 February election.
The German Embassy, in a statement to diplomatic correspondents in Abuja, said the visit is to strengthen the over 60 years bilateral relations between both countries.
The statement reads in part:
“The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations between Germany and the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is the first visit of a Head of Government to Nigeria since the inauguration of the new government.
“With diplomatic relations spanning over 60 years, Germany and Nigeria have a warm and longstanding relationship. They are natural partners as both are the strongest economy and the most populous country on their respective continents.
“This visit intends to accentuate Germany’s appreciation for the strong partnership over the years, and underlines the importance the German government places in Nigeria’s role in the region and globally.”
Chancellor Scholz will be accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking German business people including CEOs of some of the highest-valued German companies, as well as by a cultural delegation.
“This is because the visit is also geared at intensifying the relations in the economic and cultural sectors and exploring opportunities for investment in Nigeria,” the Embassy further explained.
Chancellor Scholz will depart Lagos on Monday for Accra, where he will also meet Ghanaian President Nana Akuffo-Ado before flying back to Berlin.
Ghana and Nigeria hope for increased economic co-operation through the German leader’s visit. However, Scholz’s journey to the two countries is being portrayed in the German media as a mission to seek the cooperation of their governments for the deportation of their citizens whose asylum applications have been rejected in Germany.
Kola Tella
