AFRICA

The book Confidence in Diplomacy – Defending Nigeria at Home and Abroad is an account of the author’s nearly 30 years of service in Nigerian diplomacy. It’s a journey that began in 1982 when Alhaji Abdul Rimdap joined the foreign affairs ministry and ended in 2010 when he retired while serving the country as ambassador to Germany. His distinguished international …

There is an ongoing legislative process to legalise female genital mutilation in The Gambia. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana*, member of the European Parliament, writes on the position of the European MPs on the controversial move as well as on the concerns of African organisations in Germany should the harmful practice be legalised in The Gambia The practice of female genital mutilation …

30 April, Geneva – Better Cotton, the world’s largest cotton sustainability initiative, is to conduct sustainability mapping and assessments in West and Central Africa to enhance its understanding of the needs of smallholder farmers in the region and identify context-specific interventions. Funded by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), these assessments will inform ways in which targeted support can aid the production of more …

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of twelve consuls-general and five chargés d’affaires to represent Nigeria in fourteen countries. The announcement was made by Alkasim Abdulkadir, the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to Yusuf Tuggar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in a statement released on Tuesday. Among the new appointees is Ambassador Yakubu Dadu, who is …

Nigerian leader meets Dutch prime minister in The Hague, said his country offers immense opportunities across several sectors for foreign investors and that his government was deepening reforms to improve the investment climate. President Bola Tinubu says Nigeria is well-positioned to power the clean energy future of Europe and the world with its high-grade lithium deposits. Speaking during a meeting …

Here’s a news release from the University of Leeds relating to research published in March 2024 in the journal ‘Nature’ which concludes that Africa needs long-term investment in scientific infrastructure and science careers to allow the continent to adapt to climate change and its effect on weather systems.The new research which was led by the University in partnership with the …

An EU observer mission witnessed the recent presidential election in Senegal. Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament who was a member of the mission, writes on what they witnessed in Senegal and her views on the country’s democracy ____________________ Since last year, Senegal has been in the international spotlight. With the 2024 presidential vote, it reveals to Africa …

Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), has reiterated that Nigeria’s economic prosperity could be galvanised through a structured Diaspora Investment. The NIDCOM chief emphasized this at a strategic meeting with the investment group Optiva Capital Partners, a wealth management firm specializing in investment immigration, investment advisory and insurance services, in Abuja on Wednesday. She added that collaboration …

The European Union (EU) and Egypt have made a deal under which the north African country will receive financial support in return for closer cooperation on migration with the 27-nation bloc. “Today, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen signed the joint political declaration document to elevate relations between Egypt and the European …

The Global Startup Awards Africa (GSA Africa) 2024 is now accepting entries. This initiative empowers African innovators, startups, and ecosystem enablers to showcase solutions to global challenges. GSA Africa 2024 aligns with the UN SDGs and offers categories like GreenTech, HealthTech, and Women in Tech. Cape Town, 5th March 2024 – Calling all African innovators, startups and ecosystem enablers dedicated …

Nigerian-born Bola Oyetunji has been appointed the Auditor-General of the New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state. New South Wales’ state capital is Sydney, which is also Australia’s most populous city. Responding to the appointment, Dr Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), said the news was heart-warming. She described the appointment of Mr Oyetunji as well-deserved and commendable. …

Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has reiterated that a successful Nigeria needs the strong and dynamic collaboration of its government with its citizens at home as well as those in the diaspora. Dabiri-Erewa stated this in Abuja on Wednesday at the launching of a book written by a UK-based author and property magnate, Yemi Edun, …

Germany has again apologised for the atrocities it committed during its colonial rule of Tanzania. Apologies were made on Saturday by the German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Katja Keul, at an event commemorating the 124th anniversary of the brutal killings of the traditional leaders of the Old Moshi area, Moshi district, Kilimanjaro Region. Ms Keul was in Tanzania …

As First Vice-Chair of the Committee on Development (DEVE) of the European Parliament and Substitute Member of its Committee on Women‘s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana took part in the Parliament’s recent Mission to Ethiopia. The Green politician reports on the Mission. Historical and geopolitical aspects The Federal Republic of Ethiopia has a population of around 125 …

For Africa to experience socio-economic resurgence, prosperity and development, the onus lies with Africans at home and more importantly its Diaspora. Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, stated this when she received a delegation from Zimbabwe led by its High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Maxwell Ranga, on a study tour of the Commission in Abuja. Dabiri-Erewa expressed …

The search for this year’s winner of the BBC News Komla Dumor Award has started. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the death of Dumor, the Ghanaian journalist whose memory the award honours. Dumor died suddenly aged 41 a decade ago. Dumor had joined the BBC African Service in 2007, after more than a decade working as a radio …

Following the directive of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) barring international money transfer operators (IMTOs) from paying Nigerians in foreing currencies, Nigerians abroad will no longer be able to send dollars or any foreing currency into bank accounts in the country. IMTOs have therefore removed the options of sending dollars or other foreign currencies to Nigeria on their websites …

German companies are unsettled by the postponement of Senegal’s presidential election, originally scheduled for 25 February but which has now been shifted to 15 December. The unprecedented move has called into question the West African country’s reputation for democratic stability in a region beset by military coups. “The postponement of the elections in Senegal – and this shortly after the …

Military coups are becoming fashionable in Africa again. In the past five years, elected governments have been toppled by the army in four countries in West Africa alone. Citizens openly call for the military to take over these days out of frustration with the politicians. A Nigerian writer and poet Lola Shoneyin pleads with Africans to give democracy a chance. …

Lagos has been ranked as the 19th best city to visit in the world, according to Time Out, a global magazine that publishes travel guides and magazines. Apart from Lagos, South Africa’s Cape Town (ranked second) and Ghana’s Accra (44th) were the only African cities that featured on the list, issued by the London-based publication. Time Out, which tags itself …