The annual summer season of African music and culture in Germany is on with various events, including live concerts and parading the crème de la crème of artistes from the continent and the Diaspora. Here are the top festivals: Black International Cinema Berlin │ 12-14 May/Berlin, Haus der Demokratie │ www.black-international-cinema.com African Food Festival Berlin │20-21 May / Alt-Stralau 1, …

Moroccans topped the list of nationals who acquired the citizenship of a European country in 2015, according to figures published by Eurostat on Friday. “The largest group acquiring citizenship of an EU Member State in 2015 was citizens of Morocco (86,100 persons, of whom 88% acquired citizenship of Italy, Spain or France), ahead of citizens of Albania (48,400, 96% acquired …

A coalition of groups has written a letter to Ghana’s  President Nana Akufo-Addo on the need to act without delay on illegal mining in the country. The groups are concerned about ecocide and the damaging effect of illegal mining on human lives, animals and the environment in Ghana. A delegation representing the Ghanaians presented the letter to the acting Ghanaian …

Brett Parker, Managing Director – SAP Africa, writes on the future of international economic relations and the potential of Africa to play a crucial role in it. What a difference a century makes. If we stepped back in time to a hundred years ago we’d find a primitive China; a Middle East that had yet to discover the riches of …

To promote their culture not only to the larger German society but also to the new generation of Yoruba origin, a special event will take place on Saturday, 6 May in Neu Isenburg (near Frankfurt). Christened “Yoruba Gathering: Spring 2017”, the meeting also seeks to promote unity among Yoruba-speaking people living in Germany. Organized by the Egbe Omo Yoruba Frankfurt/Rhein Main, Germany …

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, has formally reopened for operations after six weeks of closure. The airport was closed to allow for the repair of its only runway. On Tuesday, an Ethiopian Airlines Airbus A350-900 became the first plane to land on the repaired runway. The new plane landed at about 12:10 p.m. Local Nigerian airlines, including Medview and …

More than 8,000 migrants trying to reach Europe were rescued in the Mediterranean Sea during the Easter weekend. The Associated Press news agency said that 8,300 people were saved, including 1,300 in 13 search-and-rescue missions by the EU’s border agency Frontex. CNN, citing the Italian coastguards, said that 8,500 people were saved. Seven people were confirmed dead on Sunday after …

A Christian revival event, bringing African Christians and their German brethrens together, will take place in the south-western town of Speyer on 1 May. The one-day gathering, christened Arise Africa, is to inspire Christians to rededicate themselves to the teaching of Jesus Christ and take up the task of spreading His word in Germany. “Arise Africa calls on Africans to …

When Sembene Ousmane, the late grandfather of the African moving picture, described cinema as evening classes, he couldn’t have envisaged how many schools would emerge throughout Europe. Today, several European nations host more than one African film festival or major cultural event, reflecting Europe’s growing curiosity in an alternative, authentic view of Africa, while capturing Africa’s desire for self-expression.Many of …

A particular excerpt of the DW documentary "Afro.Germany" went viral: the touching testimony of one of the oldest Afro-Germans born in Berlin. Here's what can be learned from social media users' hundreds of reactions.

Cameroonian economist and banking executive Vera Songwe has been appointed the new Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission on Africa (ECA). Dr Songwe beat more than 70 candidates to clinch the post which was held by Dr Carlos Lopes of Guinea Bissau who stepped down from the organisation in September last year. ECA is one of the United Nation’s five …

New film narrates the journey of a Cameroonian migrant from his home country through Morocco, by sea to Spain and finally Germany. The film, which premiers on 21 April in Berlin, shows vividly the ordeal of young Africans, fleeing war and poverty, in search of peace and hope. And how the lucky ones who reach their chosen destinations realise that the …

The staff of the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Niger and Libya have documented shocking events on North African migrant routes, which they have described as ‘slave markets’ tormenting hundreds of young African men bound for Libya. Operations Officers with IOM’s office in Niger, reported on the rescue of a Senegalese migrant (referred to as SC to protect his …

East Africa’s economy has continued to grow despite the adverse effects of drought being felt across the region according to ICAEW’s (the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales) latest report. In Economic Insight: Africa Q1 2017 launched on 13 April, the accountancy and finance body points out that authorities from various East African nations have attempted to mitigate …

Fatoumatta Jallow-Tambajan, Gambia’s Minister of Women Affairs and Overseer – Vice President’s Office, has won the top award of the New African Woman of Year. The fearless Gambian human rights and democracy activist took New African Woman magazine’s ‘Woman of the Year’ Award at a glitzy ceremony, which held in Dakar on Wednesday. Mrs Jallow-Tambajan was instrumental in unifying the …

The globally acclaimed fashion magazine, British Vogue, has a new editor, its first Black editor in more than 100 years of its existence. 45-year-old Edward Kobina Enninful was announed during the week as the 11th editor of Vogue, its first male editor. Enninful as editor of Vogue is notably the first Black editor of a mainstream UK fashion magazine. He succeeds …

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja will be reopened next week after a six-week closure to allow for repair works on the runway. The head of the federal government’s digital communications team, Tolu Ogunlesi, confirmed that major works on the runway had been completed as at 12 April. The decision to close the airport was largely due to the …

Former US President Barack Obama has been named the winner of the prestigious German Media Prize 2016. The 55-year-old statesman will receive the award personally in Baden-Baden. Barack Obama is the recipient of the German Media Prize for 2016. This was announced yesterday by the German market research group Media Control, which manages the award. The former US president has accepted to …

Muslim migrants who refuse to embrace European values must realize there are better places for them to reside than in the EU, Wolfgang Schaeuble, the German Finance Minister has said. Muslims who don’t want to change their ways after arriving in Europe must be told, “you’ve made the wrong decision,” Schaeuble said during a round table discussion in Berlin on …

The African Network of Germany (TANG) has launched a project, christened  ‘Lost Dreams’, about the dangers of illegal migration to Europe. It’s currently being presented to young people in Cameroon. Moki Kindzeka reports. In the Nlonkak neighborhood of Cameroon’s capital Younde, the “Cameroon Center Band” is playing songs encouraging young people from rural areas to come to the capital to …