News

Israel-Gaza: All democratic countries must unite – MEP

By Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, MEP The European Parliament held a memorial service on Thursday to express its solidarity with the recent victims in Israel. In her speech, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, said: We are here with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and all of you – as one – …

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Afro-German politician honoured in Washington

The Women Ambassadors Foundation and Howard University Washington DC have awarded the prestigious ”Peace, Inclusion and Diversity” Prize to Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of its “Anti-Racism and Diversity Inter-fractional Working Group” (ARDI). The Afro-German politician was honoured for her longstanding commitment to combating racism, discrimination and for diversity. Dr Herzberger-Fofana was jointly presented with …

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My Experience at the Nigeria Embassy in Vienna

Nigerians usually complain about service delivery at their country’s embassies. Engineer Oluyemi Ogundele was recently at the Nigerian embassy in Vienna, Austria. He was so impressed about the marked improvement in the chancery and how he was served that he decided to narrate his experiences to other Nigerians in Austria and Europe ——– By Engineer Oluyemi Ogundele During my visit …

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Tribute to Nigeria’s Diaspora Amazon

Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa/Photo: NIDCOM The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, recently clocked 61. Rosemary Moribirin pays tribute to a woman who through her work has significantly raised the profile of Nigerians living in the diaspora in their homeland ——- In the grand tapestry of life, we gather to celebrate a luminous figure in Nigeria’s …

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Book: Confronting the harsh realities of discrimination in Germany

Elizabeth Horlemann lost her husband in 2021, in extremely painful and degrading situations. The tragic event motivated her to write a book about her experiences during a most traumatic period. Here’s a review of Not Now Please: Living with Racism, Ableism, and Grief , a transformative memoir that challenges the status quo in Germany——Elizabeth Horlemann’s latest work, Not Now Please: …

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How the diaspora can strengthen Nigeria’s education sector

Young and not-so-young Nigerians are leaving the country in droves. And the emigrants are educated citizens who possess the knowledge and skills that their homeland needs for its development. How can we turn this brain drain to brain gain? US-based Oluwatoyin Ajilore-Chukwuemeka, scholar and social entrepreneur specialising on the convergence of education, entrepreneurship, policy and development, proposes ways Nigeria can …

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African-German Doctoral Summer School debuts successfully

The African-German Doctoral Summer School took place for the first time in Hamburg from the 4th to the 9th of September 2023. Organised by Dr Taiwo Fagbemigun, Dr Adekunle Adedeji, Prof Dr Johanna Buchcik and Stella Kaltenbach with the kind support of Hamburg Research Academy (HRA) and Sozialbehörde Hamburg, the School aims to promote academic and social exchange between researchers …

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Tinubu: Nigeria goes for its rightful place on global stage

Mohammed Idris* writes on the efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who assumed office on 29 May, to reposition Nigeria on the global stage as he seeks international partners in his efforts to revamp his country’s economy. He says the country’s citizens “stand on the threshold of a Nigeria that is a true global giant”. Having hit the ground running …

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Berlin-based lawyer on political Rescue Mission in Nigeria

Berlin-based practising lawyer Efosa Ogieriakhi is no longer content with complaining about the situation in his home country Nigeria. He now wants to be part of the solution of a problem he describes as “stagnant development”. A former Legal Adviser to Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) and one-time Chairman of the Edo Diaspora Worldwide, Barrister Ogieriakhi has been actively …

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Anastasia Fechner: Using positive words to change our worlds

Anastasia Fechner is the founder of Love Place International Ministries e.V. Germany, an evangelical Christian Charismatic Movement, whose core mission is “to replicate Christ’s love and principles to the nations of the world, making disciples of all nations”. Anastasia Fechner is an inspiration coach who fervently believes that equipped with the power in scriptural knowledge, everyone is capable of realising …

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Why I nominate Vanessa Nakate for the 2023 Sakharov Prize — Dr Herzberger-Fofana, MEP

Since 1988, the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought has been awarded by the European Parliament to individuals or organisations that have worked to defend human rights and freedom of expression. The prize is named after Russian scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov.Vanessa Nakate from Uganda is a candidate for the 2023 Sakharov Prize. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana*, member of the European …

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German Chancellor to visit Nigeria

The German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Nigeria in October to further strengthen economic ties between both nations, Nigerian presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, has announced. Ngelale explained that the visit was agreed on the sidelines of the G-20 meeting in New Delhi, India, where President Bola Tinubu and the German leader met. “Thank you for this important discussion, Mr. President. …

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EU: Half a million asylum applications in six months

A total of 519,000 asylum applications were filed in European countries in the first half of this year, marking an increase of 28 per cent compared to the same period last year, according to the latest report of the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). “As a result of the increase, many EU+ countries* are under pressure with processing applications …

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UN releases new report on anti-Black racism

People of African descent continue to face immense challenges to meaningful participation in public affairs in many countries due to systemic racism, marginalization and exclusion often rooted in the legacies of enslavement and colonialism, according to a UN Human Rights Office report issued Tuesday. The report finds that systemic racism continues to affect negatively people of African descent in all …

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EU Observers’s report on Zimbabwe’s elections

Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa was sworn in for a second five-year term on Monday, a week after securing an absolute majority in the country’s presidential election. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, MEP, a member of the European Union observer team that witnessed the controversial polls, reports—— General elections were held throughout Zimbabwe on 23 and 24 August 2023 to elect the president, …

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Herzberger-Fofana on the breakthrough agreement between EU and ACP countries

The European Union has given its final approval to a new post-Cotonou partnership between the EU and the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) States. After two years of waiting, this important document has finally been signed. Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, member of the European Parliament and Vice-President of the Delegation for Relations between the European Union and the ACP countries, writes …

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Nigerians’ long wait for passport to end — new minister

Nigeria’s new Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, has criticized the delays experienced by Nigerians to obtain their passports. According to him, Nigerians should not be made to wait endlessly before getting their passports. He has therefore directed the acting Comptroller General of the Immigration, Caroline Wuraola Adepoju, to ensure the reasons for the delays were addressed. Tunji-Ojo said this on …

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Nigeria to establish university-based diaspora research centre

Nigeria to establish a research centre on diaspora issues in its quest to more actively engage its citizens living outside their homeland The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has allocated N1billion for the establishment of a diaspora research centre at the University of Ibadan (UI). Sonny Echono, TETFund executive secretary, in a statement signed by Abdulmumin Oniyangi, said the centre …

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How DRC is preparing for general elections by MEP Herzberger Fofana

During a recent trip to the DRC, on the invitation of His Greatness Dominique Khonde Mpolo, Universal Minister for Peace of Nations and Continents (CULPAC), members of the European Parliament’s Development Committee also had a meeting with Denis Kadima, President of the Independent National Electoral Commission (CENI), in Kinshasa. Dr Pierrette Herzberger Fofana, German member of the European Parliament representing …

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