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.
Political and business leaders from Germany and Africa converge on Hamburg on 25-26 April for the 11th German-African Energy Forum. The annual event offers a platform for players in the energy sector for interaction and networking.
Ministers from eleven African countries and two German State Secretaries will attend the conference. The African ministers, in charge of energy and/or industries, are from DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Namibia, Nigeria, Ghana, Swaziland and Zambia.
On the German side, State Secretaries Uwe Beck and Walter J. Lindner of the Federal Ministry of Economic Co-operation and Development and the Foreign Ministry respectively will address the 2-day conference.
Afrika-Verein (German-African Business Association), the organiser, has announced that about 400 participants from Africa, Germany and the rest of the world will take part at the event.
As in the past years, African delegations will have the opportunity to present their countries exclusively in dedicated country sessions.
Expected to be discussed are issues of German-African partnership in efforts to develop energy projects in the continent. Among the themes of the Forum is a special focus on energy for industry.
Almost 600 million Africans or 57 per cent of the population have no access to any form of electricity. To close the huge deficit, governments are investing in the improvement of electricity generation and supply across the continent.
German companies seeking contracts in Africa will have the opportunity to meet the decision-makers from the continent on a one-to-one basis at the Forum and possibly make deals.
The Afrika-Verein is the key trade association for German businesses and institutions with an interest in Africa.
Femi Awoniyi
More information at: www.energyafrica.de
