The Senegalese has finished in the award's top three for the last three years, and has long targeted the prize in order to emulate the achievement of one of his heroes, former Liverpool striker El Hadji Diouf, who won it in 2002.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Sunday (5 January) that Turkey had started the deployment of troops to Libya, after the country’s parliament gave its approval. Ankara is sending its soldiers to Libya to support the UN-backed Government of National Accord which is battling the troops of rebel general Khalifa Haftar for the control of the country. Since his coup …

A video clip, showing religious tolerance in Muslim-dominated United Arab Emirates, trended on social media at the festive season. Prof Jason Osai* contrasts the powerful images of the video with his experience growing up in the Nigeria of the 1950s and he explains why religious divisionism has become a powerful source of dichotomy and conflicts in many parts of Africa …

When Ghana declared 2019 the Year of Return, marking the 400th year that the first slave ship arrived in America with African captives, it expected a positive response. However, the resonance of the initiative has far surpassed the country’s expectations as thousands of African-Americans, including celebrities, have made the pilgrimage to Ghana bringing various benefits to the country. Our correspondent …

Orange and GIZ as two major institutions - one recognized for its expertise and know-how in the field of innovation, the other recognized by its experience and expertise in supporting the economic and social development of partner countries - will work hand in hand to train young people in digital skills, improve their employability and thus help reduce unemployment.

Afri Ride, a secure ride sharing mobile app with tailor-made solutions for the African travelling community, is now available in South Africa, and will be expanding into other African markets in the near future. Joe Moyo, managing director at the ride sharing app, describes the app as incredibly simple to use. “All that users have to do is, to upload …

Minister Hadi Sirika further stated that apart from the runway and terminal building, where work is also ongoing, critical equipment such as Instrument Landing Systems ( ILS), Air Field Lighting (AFL), approach lights, taxi lights, aerodrome markings and other facilities would be completed before the reopening date.

The safest airline in the world in 2019 was Emirates, according to the latest edition of the JACDEC Safety Index. With a risk index of 95.48 percent, it ended up only slightly ahead of another gulf airline, Etihad Airways (95.21 percent). Third place finisher was Spain’s Air Europa. This was the result of the annual safety ranking conducted by the …

The Berlin Ausländerbehörde (Berlin Foreigners’ Registration Office) became the Landesamt für Einwanderung (“State Office for Immigration”) on 1 January 2020.  Berlin became the first German state to establish an independent agency for immigrants in anticipation of the new Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz (Skilled Labour Immigration Act), which goes into effect in March. For the director of the State Office for Immigration, the new …

The German chancellor struck an encouraging tone in what is likely to be one of her last New Year’s addresses. Merkel addressed the challenges of the climate crisis, digitalization and migration. The climate crisis, the digitalization of the labour market, and European solidarity on migration formed the main themes of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s traditional New Year’s address, broadcast on Tuesday evening. But …

Numerous new laws and regulations take effect in Germany from 1 January 2020. These include a minimum stipend for job trainees, reduced VAT for train tickets and hygiene products for women, increases in welfare benefits, tax relief for families as well as new opportunities for the regularisation of the residency status of tolerated asylum-seekers. ———— Doctor’s appointments round the clock …

Brussels Airlines gradually introduces its brand new Premium Economy class on its African routes. With 84 weekly flights and 17 destinations in sub-Saharan Africa, the African continent remains Brussels Airlines’ most important market. Improved offer on African routes In 2019, the Belgian carrier announced the retrofitting of its fleet with the concept of a Boutique Hotel above the clouds. On …

The news of the drowning of three members of a British-Nigerian family holidaying in southern Spain on Christmas eve hit the British press during the festive period. What was initially thought to be an unfortunate accident could also be a case of criminal negligence on the part of the hotel management, according to new reports on the tragic incident. Gabriel …

The State Constitutional Court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Landesverfassungsgericht Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), sitting in Magdeburg, ruled on 19 December that sanctioning an AfD member of the state parliament, Nikolaus Kramer, over the use of the word “neger” during a debate in the house amounted to a restriction of his right to free expression. Kramer had taken the leadership of the state parliament to …

These are very important amendments to laws or new regulations – affecting withdrawal of German citizenship from dual nationals, minimum wage, HIV prophylaxis etc – that entered into force in the course of 2019

As the global recession gathers strength, most African economies are relatively unaffected owing to the strength of economic diversity in some regions. This is according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) latest report, Economic Update: Africa Q4 2019. The professional accountancy body provides GDP growth forecasts for various regions including East Africa, which is the …

“Ndi-Igbo Germany is calling on all Ndi-Igbo, both home and abroad, to join hands with us and halt this cultural aberration which erodes, cheapens and bastardizes our value system of hard work, honesty and enviable benefit-and-reward system."

Francophone West African countries have decided to rename their common currency CFA franc as the Eco. Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara announced the decision during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Abidjan on 23 December, showing that it was a decision jointly reached with France. The currency is used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, …

The Nigerian federal government on Tuesday (24 December) ordered the release of the convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Omoyele Sowore, who has been in detention since August. The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, announced the decision in a statement. The move followed mounting local and international pressure on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari …

Germany’s federal police chief said a lack of pre-deportation facilities is hampering the deportation of rejected asylum seekers and illegal foreigners to third-countries. Germany is struggling to deport rejected asylu-seekers, the country’s top police chief said on Wednesday. Federal police chief Dieter Romann blamed a lack of pre-deportation facilities for deportations not being carried out. Speaking to Germany’s Funke media group, he said …