News

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appointed Prof. Horst Köhler as his Personal Envoy for Western Sahara. Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel offered Horst Köhler his congratulations: “Horst Köhler has long devoted himself to the African continent with dedication and passion – for many years as President and latterly on behalf of the African Development Bank. He is just the right …

Eritreans who have completed their military service can safely be sent home from Switzerland if their requests for asylum are rejected, a Swiss court has ruled. Eritreans are the biggest group of asylum seekers in Switzerland, with nearly 14,500 citizens in the asylum process as of the end of July 2017, government data showed. Nearly 9,000 of them have won …

One of the recipients of the MoneyGram-sponsored “Afrika! Community Award 2017” is an organization that promotes Pan-Africanism from the German city of Munich but with a global reach. Femi Awoniyi writes on how a Diaspora initiative is making a positive impact on the worldwide community of people of African descent. Four organisations emerged winners of the maiden edition of the …

In the second and concluding  part of his report on Ghanaians in Germany, journalist, translator and community activist Sam Atsu Nove* writes on the changes in the patterns of Ghanaian migration in the past 40 years and the contribution of the Diaspora to Germany’s and their home  country’s development. ———————————– The economic crisis of the 1970s and 1980s in Ghana …

The historic decision of the Kenyan Supreme Court to annul the result of last month’s presidential election, citing irregularities, has been welcomed in the international community. Even though President Uhuru Kenyatta says he disagrees with the verdict he has pledged to respect it. The country must now hold a new presidential election within two months. It has now emerged that …

Europe and the Africa intend to step up co-operation in the fight against criminal human traffickers – Europe is to provide more support for the African countries. That is the outcome of a meeting between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris with leaders of other European and African states. “We must fight illegal migration and …

A group of Togolese opposition parties has called for a march in the capital Lome on 30 and 31 August to demand political reforms, according to a statement released Wednesday evening. Cap 2015, a coalition of five parties, the Pan-African National Party (PNP) and another group of six parties also demanded the release of those arrested on 19 August during …

An information campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers of irregular migration will kick off  at the Centre for Management Development in Lagos on 12 September. Initiated by African-German Information Center (AGIC), Hamburg, and The African Courier Verlag, Berlin, with the support of Germany’s Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the campaign under the aegis of the “Migration Enlightenment Project in Nigeria (MEPN)” …

Angolans vote Wednesday in an election that will see President Jose Eduardo dos Santos quit after nearly four decades in power, but with his hand-picked successor widely expected to take over. The long-time leader has laid the groundwork for his designated successor in an oil-rich country where poverty, corruption and human rights concerns are unlikely to dissipate anytime soon. Defense …

Hundreds of Muslims gathered just meters away from where the Barcelona terror attack of last Thursday took place to protest against Islamic-inspired violence. Spain was hit by its worst terrorist attack in more than a decade on 17 August, when a van driver rammed into dozens of people enjoying a sunny afternoon on one of Barcelona’s most famous thoroughfares, killing …

Thousands of Togolese nationals held demonstrations in about half a dozen cities around the world including the capital Lome where it turned deadly after clashes with security forces. The demonstrations, organised by the opposition Pan African National Party (PNP), were held simultaneously in Accra, Libreville, New York and Berlin on Saturday demanding the reinstatement of the 1992 constitution that limits …

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria’s unity is settled and not negotiable, in an apparent reference to tension in the country.  In his broadcast to the nation this morning, following his extended medical vacation in the United Kingdom, Buhari also directed security agencies to fight and destroy terrorists and criminals “so that the majority of us can live in …

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari returned home unexpectedly on Saturday after three months in Britain where he had been on medical leave. A group of Nigerians had staged a protest outside the London residence of the ailing president on Friday, demanding that he returns home to Nigeria or resign immediately due to an undisclosed ailment that had kept him out of …

A group of Nigerians has staged a protest outside the residence of ailing President Muhammadu Buhari. The protesters are demanding that the president return home to Nigeria or resign immediately due to an undisclosed ailment that has kept him out of office for more than 100 days.   The #ResumeorResign protesters gathered outside Buhari’s house on Friday. They had been …

In the midst of political agitations from different groups in the country, Nigeria’s federal government has come into the debate forcefully by declaring hate speech as a crime of terrorism under the country’s amended anti-terrorism law. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo clearly stated on Thursday at a security forum in the capital Abuja that the government is taking intimidation of people …

The Ghana Food and Drugs Authority has commenced the implementation of the ban on import and sale of skin bleaching products imposed in January this year. The Acting Chief Executive of the Authority, Mimi Darko told a parliamentary committee on Wednesday (16 August) that they are cracking down on the products in the market. She told the committee that the …

Britain is reportedly planning to allow visa-free travel to the country for people from the European Union after Brexit. There has been no official announcement but British media, quoting unnamed government sources, say visitors won’t face any new constraints. However, people who want to work, study or settle in the UK will need to comply with future migration rules once …

 Sharon Dodua Otoo*, Berlin-based mother, activist and author, writes to the Black community in Germany on the experiences of children of African heritage in schools and why they need the understanding and support of their parents. A Letter to the Village Dear Elders, You may already know that I am legally required to send my sons to school because we …

Leader of the Kenyan opposition Raila Odinga will take his claim that last week’s presidential election was rigged to the country’s Supreme Court. Although foreign observers said the vote was free and fair, Odinga, who lost out to incumbent President Uhuru Kenyatta, has accused the electoral authorities of fraud tantamount to “democracy’s slaughter”. He said his party, the left wing …

Who orders and who carries out deportations? And why do some people who get told to leave get to stay anyway? Jefferson Chase of Deutsche Welle (DW) untangles Germany’s complex and multilayered rules about who can be deported under what circumstances. ———————— Who decides whether someone should be deported? You might think that would be the task of the Federal Ministry of …