THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
The Afrika-Verein der deutschen Wirtschaft (German-African Business Association) has welcomed the incoming German coalition government’s recognition of Africa as a strategic partner and its commitment to enhancing economic cooperation. However, the association emphasizes the need for tangible actions to realize these intentions.
In the recently published coalition agreement titled “Verantwortung für Deutschland” (“Responsibility for Germany”), the CDU, CSU and SPD parties outline plans to develop an Africa Strategy and to align foreign trade promotion more strategically towards the continent.
Christoph Kannengießer, CEO of the Afrika-Verein, acknowledged this development, stating, “The new federal government recognizes Africa’s geopolitical and economic significance. Now it remains to be seen whether this insight will be followed by bold, concrete measures.”
A survey conducted among the association’s members revealed that approximately 90% of participating companies consider new and improved financing instruments crucial for their engagement in Africa. There is a pressing demand for enhanced financial safeguards, such as more competitive Hermes guarantees, specific instruments tailored for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the expansion of programs like ImpactConnect, Afrika-Verein said. These measures are deemed essential, especially in the current geopolitical context where Germany and Europe aim to diversify their international supply chains.
Kannengießer emphasized, “Africa is ready for economic partnerships. Those serious about diversification must now create the necessary conditions for it to happen and succeed.”
The association also noted that the planned abolition of the Supply Chain Due Diligence Act (Lieferkettensorgfaltspflichtengesetz) is perceived by many companies, particularly SMEs, as a relief, albeit belated. They advocate for the implementation of the corresponding European legal framework to be as bureaucracy-free as possible.
While the coalition agreement marks a positive step by acknowledging Africa’s importance, the Afrika-Verein stresses that the true measure of success will be the effective execution of these strategies. The association calls on the new government to translate its commitments into actionable policies that facilitate and support German businesses in establishing and expanding their presence on the African continent.
Felix Dappah
