Sea-Watch rescue ship’s captain, Carola Rackete, has expressed the hope that the new EU commission would work to let boat-rescued migrants enter Europe. Rackete, who is under investigation in Italy for docking her boat in the Italian port of Lampedusa without permission in early July, said: “I sincerely hope that the European Commission now, after the new election of the …

Many organisations and individuals working on African issues presented their work to the public at the Fair for Bridge Builders (Messe der Brückenbauer), part of the activities celebrating the Kenako Afrika-Festival in Berlin (3-14 July). The fair is a platform for committed people from Germany and the African diaspora to exhibit their projects for the development of Africa and present …

Germany’s defence minister, Dr Ursula von der Leyen, secured a narrow majority win in the European Parliament on Tuesday to replace incumbent Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission. She received 383 out of 747 possible votes, just nine more than the minimum for her election. Ms von der Leyen will be the first German to lead the EU …

German football enthusiast Maximilian Lütgens, reporting exclusively for The African Courier, writes on his trip to Egypt to watch this year’s Africa Cup of Nations, revealing not only the actions in the stadiums but also the thrill outside of them at the continental football fiesta. Enjoy! From 25 June to 2 July, I travelled to Egypt for a week of …

The Italian chapter of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation (NIDO) has elected a new executive committee. The event, part of the annual general meeting of the body, took place on Saturday (13 July) in the city of Perugia. Dr Lawrence Akuwudike Ibekwe was re-elected Chairman for a new two-year term, a sort of approval seal for its leadership of the …

Around 50 percent of Germans are wary of Islam, a new study by Bertelsmann Foundation has found. In a study on religious diversity conducted by the highly influential NGO, one-third of the respondents see Islam as “enriching” German society. At the same time, half of participants said they view it as a “threat.” The pollsters blame the media for this …

According to the Federal Statistical Office, the population of Germany rose slightly by 227,000 in 2018. At the end of last year, 83 million people lived in Germany 10.1 million of who were foreigners, that is, inhabitants without German passport, the new report revealed. The proportion of foreigners in the total population increased from 11.7 percent to 12.2 percent in …

The 12-day Kenako Afrika-Festival, featuring live music concerts, bazaar, children’s workshop, culinary, fashion shows and more, ended on 14 July in Berlin. While the annual event celebrates Africa’s colourful, multi-facetted and rich cultures, it also takes a serious look at issues affecting the continent and its diaspora. The 2019 festival, under the motto ‘Africa in Global Context’, featured podium discussions …

If you want to move to Germany to join a family member or spouse, a German family reunification visa will allow you to live and work in Germany. However, applicants have to meet certain requirements, one of which is passing a German language test in their home countries. But too many spouse reunification visa applicants often fail due to the …

The Federal Government has appointed Dr Sylvie Nantcha as a member of a technical commission on migration. The task of the 24-member commission is to identify “the root causes of flight and irregular migration” and it has until the end of next year to make concrete recommendations for action on how to tackle the issues. Flight and migration are among …

A photo exhibition on German colonial occupation of Cameroon opened is currently holding at the Mitte Museum in the Tiergarten Rathaus in Berlin. The images, from the Federal Archive of the German government, show the different stages of German presence in the African country and they remind of the German colonial history in the continent.   The exhibition titled “Was …

Noel Yengong, aka Manlikeclix, and other African models represented Africa at the 2019 Pitti Uomo, Europe’s biggest men’s fashion exhibition, recently. Pitti Uomo is a 3-day event at which the biggest fashion brands, designers, influencers and partners from all over the globe gather to showcase their new collections and styles.   Manlikeclix, who was born in Cameroon and came to …

Self-taught coder develops model for diagnosing breast cancer; looks to solve some of the continent’s biggest challenges and inspires youth across the continent as Africa Code Week Youth Ambassador for 2019. “It takes a village to raise a child”: as the Fourth Industrial Revolution sweeps across Africa and more of its youth develop coding and other digital skills, there may …

As I write this article, 44 migrants, mostly Africans, who were rescued in the Mediterranean by the humanitarian organisation Sea Eye off the Libyan coast on Monday, are desperately looking for where to be allowed to disembark in Europe. The migrants’ dilemma follows the Sea-Watch 3 controversy in June, when the rescue boat forcibly docked in the Italian port of …

Nigerians from across the globe will converge on their country’s capital Abuja on 24-25 July for this year’s Nigerian Diaspora Day. The annual event brings together foreign-based Nigerians and representatives of the federal and state governments to discuss areas of possible partnership in national development. The theme of this year’s Day, organised by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) in …

The annual season of African music and culture in Germany is in full swing. Here are the Top Festivals you don’t want to miss before summer ends: ———————————- Afrika-Festival Stuttgart 12 – 14 July / Stuttgart, Erwin-Schöttle Platz   Music, Fashion Show, Workshop, Film, Market, Culinary Pleasures etc, On stage we show you what Africa has to offer in music, …

From the 2nd to the 4th of August, the Schlossplatz in the south-western German town of Emmendingen will once again be all about Africa and its many musical styles and cultures. Under the motto “We are the world!” Afrikaba Kulturkreis e.V. has once again put together an exciting festival programme. The rhythmic pulse of Africa has been beating in the …

The Nigerian community in the German state of Bavaria will recognise the professional and other achievements of outstanding Nigerians living in the country on 20 July. The event, christened ‘Nigeria Cultural Feast and Meritorious Awards 2019’ and which takes place in Munich, will highlight the contributions of the Nigerian Diaspora to homeland development and their countries of residence, according to …

Afrolynk, an impact venture that supports and connects innovators, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders in the EU-African market, have partnered with Dr. Akuma Saningong, a master communicator, in unlocking the potential of African business ventures. Afrolynk will hold a Community Meet-Up on 10 July in Hamburg and it’s inviting attendees from Hamburg’s business sector, including start-ups, NGOs and public and private …

Six members of Cameroon’s President Paul Biya’s security staff have been convicted by Swiss judges investigating a reported attack on a journalist in Geneva on 26 June. The arrests took place last Tuesday, according to a statement by canton Geneva’s justice department. Four of the guards were given a four-month suspended prison sentence, and two were given a three-month suspended …