Global remittances are projected to decline sharply by about 20 percent in 2020 due to the economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown, the World Bank has predicted. “The projected fall, which would be the sharpest decline in recent history, is largely due to a fall in the wages and employment of migrant workers, who tend to be …

Fresh, powerful highlife band Santrofi from Ghana first appeared at festivals around Europe in the summer of 2019, from Roskilde to Sines and WOMAD. They also stunned their audience at WOMEX 2019 in Finland. Their long-awaited debut album ‘Alewa‘ is finally out now on Outhere records (available on all formats: LP/CD/digital). The album brings a new wave of fresh highlife …

The age grade system is an important feature of the culture of the Igbo people of Nigeria and other peoples in Africa. A modern role of this system, which builds sub-groups in a community according to the ages of their members, is the championing of community development. The following report is about Ogbo Midwest Igbuzo, an Ibusa age group in …

As from Monday, 27 April, the wearing of face masks on public transport – trains, buses, trams, subways etc. – will be compulsory in all the 16 federal states in Germany. In fact, the regulation is already in effect in Saxony (since 20 April), Saxony-Anhalt (23 April) and Thuringia (24 April) and it will enter into force in Schleswig-Holstein on …

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information Centre is featured at the top of News Feed and provides a central place for people to keep informed about the Coronavirus JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, April 24, 2020/ — Facebook is expanding its Coronavirus Information Center to 24 more countries in Africa as part of its ongoing commitment to empowering people around the world with timely …

Despite the challenges it’s facing, the government of Ghana is handling the coronavirus pandemic in the country effectively. That is the unanimous verdict of journalists who participated at a video conference, organised by The African Network of Germany, on the global health crisis on Thursday. — Washing hands, social distancing and wearing face masks are also the order of the …

TANG, a network of hundreds of African organisations in Germany, has called on Africans in the country to continue to be vigilant as lockdown measures are being relaxed and active social life begins again —- As the gradual phasing out of the country’s lockdown measures takes off, Dr Sylvie Nantcha, chairman of The African Network of Germany (TANG), has called …

The Berlin Senate (government) has approved changes to the corona containment measures introduced in March, easing some of them while introducing new ones. On Tuesday (21 April), the Berlin Senate passed amendments to the regulation to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Sars-CoV-2). Berlin’s Governing Mayor Michael Müller (SPD) said he was proud of how responsibly Berlin residents had observed …

Nearly half of the roughly 600 people at a refugee camp in Germany have tested positive for the new coronavirus (Covid-19). The number of cases among residents of the country’s initial reception facility (Landeserstaufnahmeeinrichtung or LEA) in the town of Ellwangen, which has been under quarantine, increased from seven to 251 within two weeks. The town is situated in Baden-Wurttemberg, …

Can African writers in the Diaspora simply be writers who write as they are inspired without checking if they are stepping beyond boundaries? Should writers have any geographical or ethnic boundaries at all?  These are questions that African writers, who seemingly have to fulfil the conventional expectations of readers on what they’re supposed to write about, are confronted with. Using …

There is an ongoing innovative project, sponsored by the German government, to promote micro and small businesses in Africa. WIDU, an initiative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the development agency GIZ, leverages diaspora remittances for the creation of jobs and better economic prospects in Africa. It’s currently being implemented in Ghana and …

  A Nigerian Roman Catholic priest has been forced to give up his parish in Germany after a series of racist acts including death threats. Father Dr. Patrick Asomugha will step down from his parish in Queidersbach, a town of some 3,000 inhabitants in the western state of Rhineland Palatinate, on Monday (20 April) after “massive” intimidation against him, said …

Four decades after liberation from British rule and following many years of Robert Mugabe’s repression, a growing number of Zimbabweans don’t believe they have much to celebrate. For many, it’s a conflict of generations. A special report on Zimbabwe at 40 by Privilege Musvanhiri of DW from Harare Tens of thousands of people traditionally flock to independence day festivities around …

Saudi Arabia’s top Islamic authority has called on Muslims around the world to perform prayers at home during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus. Ramadan, marked by intense worshipping, begins on 24 April, but most Muslim countries have shut down mosques in an effort to contain the illness. A feature of the …

Political leaders for obvious reasons are not trusted by the people to act in their best interest in Nigeria like in most of Africa. The state that the people hold responsible for their problems will hardly be trusted when it says it’s acting to save the same people from an invisible enemy like the coronavirus.

The Embassy of Uganda in Berlin, which is responsible for Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, The Vatican, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania, has announced the commencement of the registration of Ugandans stranded in the countries of accreditation. Below is the official announcement by the Embassy: ——— REGISTRATION OF UGANDANS STRANDED IN GERMANY, AUSTRIA, THE CZECH REPUBLIC, POLAND, HUNGARY, THE …

The global Ghanaian diaspora community held a conference call on the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on Saturday, 11 April to deliberate on how to support their members. Attended by representatives of Ghanaian communities in Europe, North America and Africa, the event featured a panel of Europe-based Ghanaian medical doctors – Dr Felix Yamoah, Dr Serwa Ayi, Dr Pearl Quartey and …

A very powerful member of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has died. The Chief of Staff to the President, Mallam Abba Kyari, died on Friday, more than two weeks after he tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr Femi Adesina, on Twitter in the early hours of Saturday, said Kyari …

An urgent appeal has been made to Nigerians living abroad to help their people at home due to the social hardship caused by government measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic in the country. The appeal was made on Thursday by Monday Ijeh, a journalist with the News Agency of Nigeria, and Blessing Ehiwario Samuel, who works at the ECOWAS headquarters, …

Dr Sylvie Nantcha, chairman of The African Network of Germany (TANG), has called on Africans in the country to continue their strict observance of the coronavirus containment measures in force in the country. By doing so, they would not only protect themselves and their families, but also others. She made the call on Thursday during the 5th video conference of …