AFRICA

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier undertook a four-day visit to Africa from 10 to 14 December, focusing on strengthening Germany’s ties with Nigeria, South Africa and Lesotho. His trip underscored Germany’s commitment to enhancing economic cooperation, supporting political reforms and promoting sustainable development across the continent, the German presidency said. Nigeria: Energy and Economic Cooperation Steinmeier began his tour in Nigeria, …

Namibia has achieved a historic milestone by electing its first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. Her victory represents a significant step towards gender equality and democratic progress in Africa, according to the German-African Business Association (Afrika-Verein), in a press release. Christoph Kannengießer, the association’s CEO, described the election as a pivotal moment for Namibia, stating, “Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s presidency signifies renewal and …

Berlin witnessed a momentous occasion on the evening of 16 October 2024 as Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the dynamic mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone, received the prestigious German Africa Award 2024. The President of the German Bundestag, Bärbel Bas, presented the award at the Allianz Forum, before an audience of about 180 guests, including influential figures from politics, business and civil society. …

A new Change.org campaign, initiated by Uchechi Okwu-Kanu, wife of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is gaining momentum. The petition is directed to UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and Attorney General Richard Kermer Q.C., urging them to use diplomatic and economic means to secure Kanu’s immediate release from Nigerian detention. Kanu, …

Media coverage of Africa has always been dominated by narratives of disease, poverty, conflict and political instability. These portrayals, rooted in colonial histories, continue to shape global perceptions and policy decisions. A recently published Global Media Index for Africa offers insights into how the continent is portrayed in global media. Produced by a University of Cape Town research team in …

Speaking at the 60th anniversary celebration of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group in Abidjan on 10 September, its President, Akinwumi Adesina, praised the bank’s achievements, calling it a day of joy. Abidjan, the economic capital of Côte d’Ivoire, hosts the bank’s headquarters. Since its founding in 1964, the bank had supported over 6,500 projects across Africa, he said. In …

Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the mayor of Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone, has been awarded the German Africa Award for her innovative and unwavering commitment to sustainable urban development and local participation. The prize will be presented to the African politician by Bundestag President Bärbel Bas on 16 October 2024 at the Allianz Forum in Berlin. With her participatory approach …

Germany and Kenya have recently signed a migration and labour agreement aimed at addressing Germany’s need for skilled workers while discouraging irregular migration. Signed in Berlin on 13 September 2024 by Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Dr Musalia Mudavadi, and witnessed by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Kenyan President William Ruto, …

Kenyan President William Ruto is visiting Berlin, Germany, this week to participate in several significant events, including the historic co-hosting of the 2024 Annual Citizen Festival of the German President (Bürgerfest des Bundespräsidenten) alongside the German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. This marks the first time a non-European country has been invited to co-host this prestigious event, highlighting the strong economic and …

Looking at public service for wives of Governors in Nigeria, few figures embody resilience, commitment, and selfless service like Her Excellency, Amb. Dr. Mrs. Gloria Diri. A certified Nurse Midwife, Public Health Educator, and First Lady of Bayelsa State, her journey is that of hard work, leadership, and the passion for uplifting communities. Gloria was Born and raised in Bayelsa …

Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, outgoing Member of the European Parliament, writes on the significance of Gambian parliamentarians’ decision not to rescind the ban on female genital mutilation in the west African country ____________________ Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) remains banned in the Gambia. Despite pressure from religious dignitaries and retrograde groups in society who consider female genital mutilation to be an integral …

In commemoration of this year’s World’s Refugee Day on 20 June, the head of a Catholic relief organisation has described the refugee crisis in South Sudan as “one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of our time”. He has now challenged the international community to live up to its responsibility in the country by putting the crisis “right at the top …

The book Confidence in Diplomacy – Defending Nigeria at Home and Abroad is an account of the author’s nearly 30 years of service in Nigerian diplomacy. It’s a journey that began in 1982 when Alhaji Abdul Rimdap joined the foreign affairs ministry and ended in 2010 when he retired while serving the country as ambassador to Germany. His distinguished international …

There is an ongoing legislative process to legalise female genital mutilation in The Gambia. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana*, member of the European Parliament, writes on the position of the European MPs on the controversial move as well as on the concerns of African organisations in Germany should the harmful practice be legalised in The Gambia The practice of female genital mutilation …

30 April, Geneva – Better Cotton, the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative, is to conduct sustainability mapping and assessments in West and Central Africa to enhance its understanding of the needs of smallholder farmers in the region and identify context-specific interventions. Funded by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), these assessments will inform ways in which targeted support can aid the production of more …

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of twelve consuls-general and five chargés d’affaires to represent Nigeria in fourteen countries. The announcement was made by Alkasim Abdulkadir, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a statement released on Tuesday. Among the new appointees is Ambassador Yakubu Dadu, who is …

Nigerian leader meets Dutch prime minister in The Hague, said his country offers immense opportunities across several sectors for foreign investors and that his government was deepening reforms to improve the investment climate. President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria is well-positioned to power the clean energy future of Europe and the world with its high-grade lithium deposits. Speaking during a meeting …

Here’s a news release from the University of Leeds relating to research published in March 2024 in the journal ‘Nature’ which concludes that Africa needs long-term investment in scientific infrastructure and science careers to allow the continent to adapt to climate change and its effect on weather systems.The new research which was led by the University in partnership with the …

An EU observer mission witnessed the recent presidential election in Senegal. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament who was a member of the mission, writes on what they witnessed in Senegal and her views on the country’s democracy ____________________ Since last year, Senegal has been in the international spotlight. With the 2024 presidential vote, it reveals to Africa …

Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), has reiterated that Nigeria’s economic prosperity could be galvanised through a structured Diaspora Investment. The NIDCOM chief emphasized this at a strategic meeting with the investment group Optiva Capital Partners, a wealth management firm specializing in investment immigration, investment advisory and insurance services, in Abuja on Wednesday. She added that collaboration …