News

As the European Union threatens to unravel in the wake of Britain’s vote to leave, the African Union is pursuing a path of closer integration through the launch of a common passport that will grant visa-free access to all 54 member states, reports Tolani Alao (NAN). The long-awaited African Union (AU) passport was launched on Sunday, 17 July at the …

Africa’s future rests in the hands of its youth – and every effort must be made to ensure they thrive, philanthropist and entrepreneur Bill Gates said in South Africa on Sunday, 17 July. Delivering the 2016 Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture at the University of Pretoria (Mamelodi campus), Gates said he was optimistic about the future of the continent – because …

About half of Europeans fear the arrival of refugees raises the risk of attacks in their countries, a survey published on Monday found, and many, especially in the east, see them as a burden on their economy. Washington-based Pew Research Center found the share of people believing that “refugees will increase the likelihood of terrorism in our country” was, among …

Berlin has officially referred to colonial-era crimes committed by German troops in today’s Namibia as genocide. The government has been criticized, however, for holding talks with Namibia without survivors’ descendants. For decades, Germany’s parliament and governments tried their level best to avoid this dark chapter of German colonial history. Daily newspaper “Frankfurter Rundschau,” reported on 12 June, however, that for …

Clashes have resumed in South Sudan’s capital Juba between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and ex-rebel leader Riek Machar. Former UN diplomat Peter Schumann tells DW the fighting may escalate into a full-scale war. South Sudan’s presidency on Friday put the death toll from the clashes at 270, although it is thought to be much higher by now. The …

The inaugural version of the Nigerian Ambassador’s Cup Germany football tournament took place on 14 May in Berlin. The trophy was contested for by the chapters of the Nigerian Community Germany (NCG) e.V. Four teams – NCG Hamburg, NCG Wolfsburg, NCG Ausburg and NCG Berlin/Cottbus – participated in the final stages. The competition was organised by the national body of …

Ghana’s former President Jerry John Rawlings has called for a global campaign for the return of Nigeria’s stolen funds kept in developed countries. According to him, the international community should spearhead the initiative in a manner similar to that for the release of the kidnapped Chibok girls. Rawlings, who spoke to the Nigerian newspaper The Guardian in Accra recently on …

A new youth exchange scheme known as the German African Youth Initiative (Deutsch-Afrikanische Jugendinitiative – DAJ) was launched in Bonn on 1 July by German Development Minister Gerd Müller and the Commissioner for Human Resources, Science and Technology at the African Union (AU) Martial De-Paul Ikounga. Dirke Köpp, head of DW’s French for Africa service, spoke to the minister about …

Stakeholders take stock of Equal Opportunity in Germany, ten years after the anti-discrimination law went into effect The General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeine Gleichbehandlungsgesetz or AGG), enacted for the purpose of preventing or stopping discrimination on the grounds of race or ethnic origin, gender, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation in Germany, went into force in August …

US-Nigerian poet and devel­op­ment com­mu­ni­ca­tions scholar, who teaches Yoruba at the Uni­ver­sity of Florida, Gainsville, writes about his experiences at Bonn’s first sus­tain­abilty bar camp which took place on 25 June.

Investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, whose trademark is his anonymity, has become famous all over the world for his unconventional way of unearthing corruption. His recent exposé video recordings, revealing corruption in Ghana’s judiciary, has been watched by millions across the world. Reporting from Accra, Francis Sackitey writes on how the sensational scandal can affect foreign investment in a country …

  Ethiopia is to be a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for two years. The country may spread peace while on blue helmet missions abroad, but critics complain that political space at home is contracting. The vote at the UN General Assembly electing Ethiopia as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council turned out to be largely …

Despite the anti-immigrant rhetoric coming from the “Leave” campaign, not all British citizens of African decent believe that the UK should remain in the EU. The eyes of the world are on the UK this week as it heads into its historic referendum to decide whether voters want Britain to leave the European Union (Brexit) or remain a member of …

Maazi Chukwuma Eze is the National Co-ordinator of Ndi Igbo Germany (NIG). Ndi Igbo means Igbo people, one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria. The businessman, who is the proprietor of EZE Motors and EZE Shipping Service in Hanover, talks about the Nigerian economy, the performance of the one-year old Buhari administration, Igbo self-determination agitations and the situation …

Youth Think Tank Report provides insights into youth employment trends in East Africa East African youth are seeking a greater voice in their future, according to new youth-led research released today by The MasterCard Foundation Youth Think Tank. At a launch organized by Restless Development in partnership with The MasterCard Foundation, the 15 members of the Youth Think Tank revealed …

British-Nigerian politician Festus Akinbusoye on why he’ll be voting for Britain to remain in Europe, when the country goes to the polls on 23 June. The only thing more irresponsible than keeping quiet about the likelihood of negative economic impacts of a Brexit is to pretend there won’t be any real impact at all. It is quite disingenuous of some …

The film describes the fight for democracy and socio-economic justice in the tiny sub-Saharan country through the eyes of Bheki Dlamini, a young activist

There should be no place for racism in any civilised society. To fight it should be everybody’s duty, but parents in particular should be bound to take more responsibility for their children’s education, since they naturally play a crucial role in their social development. Adapting to this challenge, parents of children of African origin in Berlin, organised in an association …

Despite Africa having 65 per cent of the unused arable land in the world, the continent cannot feed itself. According to the president of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, Africa imports food worth US$35 billion annually, when the continent should have been a next exporter of food. Dr Adesina, who was speaking at the 7th Africa Agriculture Science …

How former Nigeria’s national trainer, who suddenly died on 8 June, defeated prejudice against African coaches in Africa Tragedy struck African football in the early hours of 8 June when Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, former coach of Nigeria’s national team, the Super Eagles, suddenly died at 54 in Benin City. The former international football player and coach had lost his wife …