Two German army pilots have died after their helicopter crashed near Gao, eastern Mali. At the time of the crash, the helicopter was monitoring “confrontations.” The Tiger type army combat helicopter with two pilots onboard crashed for unknown reasons around 12:20 GMT/UTC about 70 kilometers (43 miles) northeast of Gao in eastern Mali, the Bundeswehr said on Wednesday. “Onboard the …

French national carrier, Air France, will soon resume flights between Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) in Paris and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi after an 18-year absence. Air France served Nairobi until March 2000. Air France, a subsidiary of the Air France–KLM Group and a founding member of the SkyTeam global airline alliance, announced the decision on Tuesday …

After several years of turmoil, Cameroon’s national carrier has embarked on a recovery plan at an estimated 91.5 million euros over the next 5 years. Yaounde, April 5 (Reuters) – Nearly a year after selecting a consortium led by Belgium’s SN Brussels to buy a majority stake in struggling national airline, Cameroon’s government abandoned the sale on Thursday and said …

Nigeria is currently in a state of intense political agitation. An Igbo self-determination group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), is calling for a separate national state for the Igbo people of the country while other groups are advocating for a wide-ranging constitutional reform to devolve more powers to the federating states. Foreign governments are intervening in the debate. The …

Operation Sophia, the European Union migrant-rescue mission in the Mediterranean Sea, has been extended and will now run until 31 December 2018. EU leaders reached the agreement in Brussels on Tuesday (25 July) after Italy withdrew its veto. The extension was expected to be agreed upon last Monday but Italy, discontent with other EU member states’ efforts on the migrant …

German police will be able to use surveillance software by the end 2017 that can hack into people’s smartphones and read encrypted messages in such services as WhatsApp, says a report that cites a leaked document. A new version of the German police’s Remote Communication Interception Software (RCIS), which is used for surveillance over electronic devices, will be ready by …

Sub-Saharan Africa currently has 420 million unique mobile subscribers with a 43% penetration rate. By 2020, this number is expected to hit over half a billion, making Africa the world’s fastest growing mobile market. This information was released as part of the 2017 Mobile Economy report by the GSM Association (GSMA) trade organisation. According to the data, there were 731 …

Kenyans of Asian heritage have been granted official recognition as the 44th ethnic group in the country. The Kenyan government granted the status last week after years of petitioning by the Kenyan Asian community made up of about 46,782 people, according to the 2009 census figures. “All persons, bodies and authorities within the Republic of Kenya shall recognize the community …

The Nigerian Diaspora Day kicked off in Abuja today. The annual event brings together Nigerians resident abroad and representatives of the federal government and its agencies to discuss areas of partnership in national development. Addressing a press conference in Abuja on the eve of the Diaspora Day, leaders of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organization, NIDO, said that the issue corruption …

After more than a decade of advocacy, the Nigerian Diaspora Commission became a reality recently when Acting President Yemi Osinbajo assented to the Bill establishing the body. An active participant in the process that led to the realization of the Commission is Collins Nweke*, Belgium-based media and development consultant and an elected communal politician who served in various leadership positions …

The Chinese-built 756 km electrified rail project connecting landlocked Ethiopia to Djibouti will start commercial operations in October, said the Ethiopian transportation minister has announced. Speaking to Chinese news agency Xinhua, Ahmed Shide, Minister of Ethiopia’s Ministry of Transportation, said the Addis Ababa–Djibouti Railway is a showcase of China’s support for Ethiopia’s efforts to transform its economy through infrastructural development. …

The 2017 edition of the All Africa Music Awards (Afrima) has received an overwhelming response after receiving 4,816 entries from African music artistes and music professionals at the close of the two-month entry submission process. The African Union and the International Committee of Afrima had opened the 2017 Afrima call for entries on 8 May 2017 giving an opportunity to …

Afruibana, a group of fruit producers and exporters from Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana that aims to strengthen trade between Africa and EU, has been launched. The body was officially launched in Brussels during Cameroon’s Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana’s visit to European institutions on 19 July. The association will allow fruit producers on the continent to combine their …

The emergence of terror groups with global reach following the wars in the Middle East has shown that events in the explosive region have potentially devastating impact worldwide. In this by-lined article for Project Syndicate, Joschka Fischer, former German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor, sounds a note of warning to the international community that the imminent defeat of the so-called …

Senegalese singer, songwriter and businessman Akon has called on African youth to play an active role in rebuilding the continent and not depend on governments. The American-born music star was addressing over 2,800 youth from all over Africa on Friday (21 July) in Rwanda’s capital Kigali during the final day of the maiden YouthConnekt Africa Summit organised to shape the …

Louise Hunt, freelance journalist specialising in social affairs and international development, writes on the situation of Gambian migrants in Europe whose case for asylum has been weakened by the overthrow of their country’s long-reigning autocratic leader. The Gambia’s leader of 22 years, Yahya Jammeh, used to give Gambians good cause for claiming asylum, even if the majority were fleeing poverty …

The annual summer season of African music and culture in Germany has been in full swing since April. Here are 10 Top Festivals, holding from now until the end of summer, promising an unforgettable experience:   Afrika-Orient Kulturfestival Bonn  28 – 30 July / Bonn, Bottlerplatz & Friedensplatz In addition to live performances by high-calibre musicians, story-tellers and dancers and …

The number of cases filed by asylum seekers challenging the decisions of immigration authorities in German courts has brought the legal system to the brink of collapse, a top German judge has warned in an interview. The sheer number of cases filed has overwhelmed the civil courts of the country, said Robert Seegmuller, chairman of the Association of German Administrative …

The Executive Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Thursday passed a resolution to increase the number of participating teams in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) from 16 to 24. The change will take effect from 2019 when Cameroon hosts it. The, tournament which has traditionally been held in January and February, will also be staged in …

Air France has launched Joon, a new carrier that will start operating medium-haul flights from Paris-Charles de Gaulle this autumn, followed by long-haul flights in summer 2018.  The name Joon, which echoes the word “jeune” for “young” in French, is aimed at young working adults aged 18 to 35 year, whose lifestyles revolve around digital technology, Air France said in …