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It is a common practice of Western journalists to compare the economic situation of Ghana today with that of South Korea to illustrate how backward Africa still is in comparison with the other parts of the world. The basis for comparing the two countries is the similar size of their economies at the time Ghana gained independence in 1957. Our …

This year’s Anne Klein Women’s Award from Germany’s Heinrich Böll Foundation goes to South African Nomarussia Bonase, who fights for Apartheid victims still waiting for compensation. DW journalist Thuso Khumalo has met her. Nomarussia Bonase, aged 50, celebrated winning the Anne Klein Women’s Award by singing and dancing with her family and supporters, both young and old, on the street …

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said that Ghana no longer has an excuse to remain an underdeveloped country after 60 years of independence from colonial rule. In a nine-page independence anniversary speech delivered in Accra on Monday, he pointed out that after successfully fighting off colonial rule in order to take charge of its own destiny, “we have run out …

More than 40.000 people with Ghanaian heritage live in Germany, which makes them the biggest African community in the country from south of the Sahara. Half of them still have Ghanaian citizenship.

Germany and Tunisia have made a deal on immigration and development aid. Under the agreement reached after talks between Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Beji Essebsi in the Tunisian capital, the North African country will take back its citizens whose asylum applications have been turned down by Germany. Berlin will reward Tunis with generous development aid. “We have agreed with …

Adam Amina, a 33-year-old pregnant mother, lay in one of the labour wards at Tamale’s only referral hospital in northern Ghana. She looked uncomfortable as she waited for her turn to be examined by one of the male midwives.

Since its introduction in August 2012, 53704 highly-qualified immigrants have received an EU Blue Card in Germany, according to figures just released by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The EU Blue Card, a single work and residence permit, allows non-EU citizens with a university degree to take up employment in the EU commensurate with their qualifications. Holders …

Visa issuance simplification, reissuance of passports after change of name at missions and harmonisation of airport arrival and departure cards, are among the new administrative steps taken by Africa’s most-populous nation to make things easier for citizens and foreigners travelling to the country, reports Kola Tella from Lagos. The Federal Government of Nigeria has reviewed the visa processes for foreigners …

Pope Francis has made a surprise announcement saying he wants to make a trip to famine-struck, war-torn South Sudan, but not on his own. He wants the head of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Justin Welby, to come too. Francis made the disclosure at the weekend in impromptu comments during a visit to Rome’s Anglican Church, the first to the parish …

The two Germans kidnapped by unknown persons in the northern state of Kaduna last week have been released. The two archaeologists, Professor Peter Breunig, and his colleague, Johannes Buringer, were freed on Saturday night, according to Nigeria’s online daily PREMIUM TIMES. “Yes, they were released last night (Saturday) by their kidnappers. No ransom was paid,” a senior police officer was …

More than 20 million people are at risk of dying from starvation within six months in four separate famines, the World Food Programme (WFP) has warned. Conflicts in Yemen, northeastern Nigeria and South Sudan have devastated households and driven up food prices while a drought in Somalia has ruined the agricultural economy, the global organisation said. In Yemen and South …

The gunmen who abducted German archaeologist, Prof. Peter Breunij, and his associate, Johannes Buringer, in Jenjela village in Kagarko Local Government of Kaduna State, have demanded N60m (180,000 euros, official rate) as ransom. The kidnappers, according to a source at Jenjela village, said the abductors called the line of the camp supervisor around 11.00 am and demanded N30m ransom for …

Germany has unveiled a new national passport with improved security features. The new passport has a new design as well and is slightly smaller than the previous one. The redesigned identity document, which features a security mark in the shape of Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, was shown to the public for the first time on Thursday in Berlin. “The new German …

“We have seen that a lack of information or false information is one of the main problems that leads to illegal migration.”

“We are being stared at strangely and we are being verbally abused,” says Pastor Thaddeus Ejiofor Eze as mood changes in town against Africans The Nigerian asylum-seeker suspected of killing Soopika P., a refugee aid worker, in the western German town of Ahaus on 11 February has agreed to be swiftly extradited to Germany from Switzerland. According to Martin Botzenhardt, …

He debunks the argument of the German government that the Nigerian asylum claims are not credible, arguing that there are enough grounds to allow them to stay just as the Syrians are granted residency.

Gambia’s new president, Adama Barrow, unveiled the key programmes of his government at the country’s 52nd independence anniversary celebrations on Saturday. Mr Barrow, 52, who was elected in last December’s election, was also sworn-in as Gambia’s third president at the event, attended by thousands of citizens and graced by foreign guests, including several African heads of states. Below is the …

Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge or BAMF) would be allowed to examine refugees’ mobile phone records to establish their true identity under a proposed law. The bill aims to prevent refugees from giving false identities, reports Kate Brady. According to information published by three German media outlets on Sunday, a new draft legislation …

The 22-year-old man whose arrest in northern Paris sparked nights of protests across France has thanked his supporters. Theo posted the video message on Facebook after being discharged from hospital. The protests, which have led to over 200 arrests around France, follow allegations that he was beaten and raped with a police baton during an arrest attempt on February 2. …

If your eyes roll at international gatherings like the G20 foreign ministers’ summit this week in Bonn or the Security Conference I’ll be attending this weekend in Munich, let me confess, mine used to as well. But after nearly two decades of harassing and attending such gatherings, I’ve discovered the dirty little secret of these events is they’re often not …