Elections present a milestone beyond which countries either strengthen their democratic credentials or become failed states. Often states fail when there are either perceived or blatant election malpractices. This in turn can lead to prolonged civil unrest. Numerous cases exist across the continent. John Walubengo, a lecturer at the Multimedia University of Kenya, uses the Kenyan case to illustrate how election processes …

The World Economic Forum has launched its second annual search to identify Africa’s next generation of top female technology innovators and entrepreneurs. The top five entrepreneurs selected by the Forum’s judging panel will be invited to participate in the World Economic Forum on Africa on 3-5 May in Durban, South Africa. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural search, the …

Virginia Wangare Greiner, the founder of Maisha e. V., a psychosocial centre in Frankfurt, has been honoured with the prestigious Elisabeth Norgall International Award. She was bestowed with the honour recently by the International Women’s Club (IWC) of Frankfurt in recognition of her efforts concerning the needs and problems of women. Ms Greiner, who is originally from Kenya, has been honoured …

  GENEVA, Switzerland, 21 March 2017 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Even though women make up a little over half of Africa’s growing population, they have had little, albeit increasing, involvement in power and strategic decision-making. As part of the African Women in Business initiative launched at this year’s Africa CEO Forum in Geneva, a high-level panel of female leaders gathered …

Mohammed Dewji, Group CEO of MeTL (Mohammed Enterprise Tanzania Limited) took home the prestigious ‘CEO of the Year’ award and Anta Babacar Ngom Bathily of Sedima won the award for ‘ Young CEO of the Year’ at the 2017 AFRICA CEO FORUM in Geneva yesterday. Mohammed Dewji beat off competition from business heavyweights across the continent to take home one …

Members of centre-left SPD have confirmed Martin Schulz as the party’s new leader and candidate to challenge Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany’s federal election in September. Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament, was unanimously chosen by delegates at the party’s congress in Berlin on Sunday. “I want to be the next chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,” …

GENEVA, Switzerland, 20 March 2017,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Rethinking the African ‘business model’ to remain relevant in a changing and competitive environment set the tone for the opening of the fifth edition of the Africa CEO Forum, a Jeune Afrique Group initiative, organized in partnership with the African Development Bank. In his keynote address, Amir Ben Yahmed, Founder and President …

Ghana marketed its treasures of beautiful hinterland, sunny beaches, rich culture, lively cities and rich wildlife at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin, which held from 8-12 March. Considered one of Africa’s true success stories, Ghana is enjoying a stable democracy and incredible development. It’s also becoming a preferred destination of leisure travel on the continent. Ghana’s delegation to the …

“Chikwe – Es Bleibt Ein Traum” (Chikwe – A Forlorn Dream), a book about a Nigerian migrant’s tragic odyssey, has been awarded the Immigration Book Fair Book Prize 2017. The author of the book is Beatrice Onyele (76), a retired nurse based in Frankfurt who has been living in Germany since 1966. She wrote the book in German language. “The …

Madagascar Football Association chief Ahmad pulled off a stunning upset on Thursday, ousting Issa Hayatou, the long-serving president of the Confederation of African Football, in an election at the organization’s congress in Ethiopia. The 57-year-old former government minister, who goes by just a single name, won the CAF presidency by 34 votes to 20 in the poll, bringing to a …

What is it like to be a Black person living in Germany? What does it mean to be excluded from your own society? Prominent guests met recently to discuss these questions and more at the launch of the new multimedia project ‘Afro.Germany’ by the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). “I used to want to be white,” says Jana Pareigis, …

The BBC Hausa Service will be celebrating its 60th anniversary next week. Various events, recognising the history and success of the service, have been lined up for its Diamond Jubilee in London and Nigeria. BBC Hausa is part of the BBC World Service and reaches 23.3 million people on a weekly basis. It broadcasts to Hausa-speaking audiences, providing radio, online and …

Akosua Puni Essien, the wife of former Chelsea midfielder and Ghanaian legend Michael Essien, has purchased Italian football club Como. She paid 237,000 euros for the Lega Pro side at an auction on Thursday. Ms Essien becomes the first Ghanaian to buy a club in Europe. As reported by the Associated Press, the acquisition does not include the club’s board, …

Security forces shooting dead unarmed protesters, arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture, disappearances, harassment and intimidation are some of the reported human rights abuses that have been continuing for more than four months now in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, writes Kumi Naidoo* on the ongoing crisis in the country. “I write to you in hiding and with so much fear that …

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has assured his compatriots abroad that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was working assiduously to solve the myriad problems the country is confronted with. Saraki was speaking when he met representatives of the Nigerian community in Berlin. He assured the gathering that the National Assembly was well alive to its …

Chad’s former foreign minister, Moussa Faki Mahamat, assumed office as head of the African Union Commission on Tuesday, pledging to reform the institution and tackle the continent’s many crises. Faki takes over the leadership of the 54-country continental bloc days after the United Nations announced that the food emergencies in four countries, including Somalia, South Sudan and northeast Nigeria, constituted …

Now that the democratically-elected President Adama Barrow has started working in earnest, peace and normalcy has returned to this beautiful country and therefore, it is most apt to invite the visitors, including foreign tourists, to return to our shores, writes author Hassoum Ceesay! Indeed, we have to apologize to all those tourists who had their beautiful stays rudely disrupted in …

GENEVA, Switzerland, 13 March 2017,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Africa CEO Forum 2017, the most high-profile international forum on African private sector development, will be held on 20 and 21 March in Geneva and, for the fifth consecutive year, will salute the economic performance of African business leaders and companies. Every year, the Africa CEO Forum Awards recognise those companies …

"Adults can't change much, their mind is already made up, even if I try to speak to that person. But with young people, you can really talk to them and make it clear: We are all the same. The children are our future."

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled at Berlins’s two airports, causing further misery for passengers already hit by industrial action last week. Ground staff downed tools once more on Monday in a dispute over pay. Initially a one-day walkout, it has now been extended to Wednesday morning. A spokesman for Berlin airports said that almost all flights were cancelled on …