German-African Relations

A powerful Nigerian delegation visited Berlin on Wednesday, 7 July 2021, to pursue the return of the famous Benin bronze heads and other cultural artefacts that were pillaged from that country in the 19th Century during a punitive expedition of the British Army. Led by Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the delegation included Mr Godwin Obaseki, the Governor …

His Excellency Thomas Boniface Amolo of Kenya has presented his Letter of Credence to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, marking the beginning of his ambassadorship in Germany. Accompanied by his wife, Mrs Iris Matlhodi Kekana-Amolo, Ambassador Amolo handed over his credentials at a ceremony which took place at the Schloss Bellevue, the seat of the German presidency, on Thursday (11 March). …

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also called for the partnership between Africa and Europe to be expanded and for the image of Africa in the country to be reconsidered

For the first time, a government financed pilot project for the reappraisal of German colonial history has been launched in Berlin

Estimates of the number of Ghanaians living outside their homeland range from one to three million out of a general population of about 30 million. Ghanaians in Germany are reputed to form the second largest of the country’s diaspora populations in Europe, after the United Kingdom. Journalist, translator and community activist Sam Atsu Nove*, who first arrived in Germany in …

Last year, Nigeria was one of the main countries of origin of asylum-seekers in Germany. Against this background, the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung invited German and Nigerian officials to a technical roundtable discussion in Berlin on Thursday. Among others, the experts discussed how to make rejected Nigerian asylum-seekers leave Germany voluntarily and explore possible solutions to irregular migration from their country. Femi Awoniyi, …

Dignitaries, including frontline politicians, business leaders, traditional rulers and diplomats, are billed to attend the main event celebrating the culture of Igbo people in Germany in Nuremberg on Saturday, 17 August.   Among the eminent personalities expected at the 2nd Annual Igbo Cultural Day in Germany are Senator Ike Ekweremadu, immediate past deputy president of the Senate; Chief John Nnia …

How to make African women more visible as entrepreneurs and not only as employees in Germany was the theme of the 10th Economic Forum of the Pan-African Women’s Day, which took place on Friday, 26 July at the Chamber of Commerce (IHK) in Potsdam, Germany. The Day (celebrated each year on 31 August) is also a contribution to the UN …

The German chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) has elected a new executive committee. The election was part of the body’s annual general meeting, which took place on Saturday, 22 June in the city of Dortmund. Dr RosaLyn Dressmann was elected to lead the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Germany (NIDOG) as President for the next two years at …

Clara Uwazie Meierdierks writes about the value of friendship and family, mentioning by name those who stood with her through thick and thin, both in Nigeria and Germany. But she also painfully recalls the gossip-mobbing that she suffered when things were not going well for her

The Christian Democrats have chosen Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer to lead the party into its next phase. After 18 years, Chancellor Angela Merkel announced her decision to step down as the leader of the governing CDU in October. She did therefore not seek re-election at the CDU congress in Hamburg on Friday (7 December) but she will remain chancellor until the end …

The economy of many African countries are booming. How can German small and medium enterprises profit from this success? The 5th German-African Business Forum  NRW (das 5. Deutsch-afrikanische Wirtschaftsforum NRW) will deal with this question on Tuesday 27 February 2018 in the western German city of Dortmund at which President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana will deliver a keynote speech. Under …

The President of the German chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO), Kenneth Chukwudi Alaekwe, has passed away. He died at the age of 55 on Saturday 17 February 2018 at a Berlin hospital after a brief illness. Kenneth is survived by his wife Ulla and son Henry. At the time of his death, Kenneth was Director for Conference …

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier signed a multi-million dollar partnership deal with Ghana on his first trip to Africa since taking office. Germany hopes the accord might help curb migration to Europe. Germany has agreed to grant Ghana $118 million (€100 million) to promote renewable energies, energy efficiency and vocational training. The two countries signed the “Investment and Reform Partnership” agreement …

German movies, cultural and media workshops are part of celebrations marking 60 years of co-operation between Germany and Ghana, reports Isaac Kaledzi  from Accra. For Yibor Kojo Yibor, a Ghanaian cultural analyst, Saturday, 30 September’s event in Accra offered an opportunity for Ghanaians to reflect more on Germany’s culture and way of life. “I think that what is interesting for Ghanaians is …

The Ambassador of Ghana to the Federal Republic of Germany, Her Excellency Mrs Gina Ama Blay, presented her letter of credence to His Excellency Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s President, at Schloss Bellevue on 29 August 2017 in Berlin. To mark the occasion, a reception attended by many dignitaries was held at Maritim Hotel. It was a colourful occasion since most …

The Turkish president has called on Turks living in Germany not to vote for “enemies of Turkey.” Will his call be heeded or ignored? DW’s Christoph Ricking went to the heart of Cologne’s Turkish neighbourhood to find out. Cologne’s Keupstrasse, the main street for Turkish life in the city’s Mülheim district, bustled with Monday morning business activity: trucks made shop …

Germany-based scholar and author Fekadu Bekele, PhD, offers an original African perspective on the G20 Africa Partnership initiative as he argues that the measures envisaged under the plan do not address the root causes of the social and economic crises in the continent. Dr Bekele posits that the priority of the West and its economic institutions is to keep Africa firmly …

German Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Bernhard Schlagheck, has revealed that 13,000 Nigerians are currently seeking asylum in Germany. The reasons they gave for their applications, according to the ambassador, range from insecurity arising from Boko Haram insurgency to political persecution in Nigeria. Ambassador Schlagheck however hinted that his country was not convinced that there is political persecution in Nigeria at …

Germany’s minister of economic co-operation and development, Dr Gerd Müller, is presently promoting a plan to redesign the country’s relationship with Africa. Launched in Berlin early this year, the plan proposes new planks in German-African ties with the aim of promoting sustainable political stability and economic growth in Africa. ‘Marshall Plan with Africa’, in a nutshell, is a way to …