Members of centre-left SPD have confirmed Martin Schulz as the party’s new leader and candidate to challenge Chancellor Angela Merkel in Germany’s federal election in September. Schulz, the former president of the European Parliament, was unanimously chosen by delegates at the party’s congress in Berlin on Sunday. “I want to be the next chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany,” …

GENEVA, Switzerland, 20 March 2017,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- Rethinking the African ‘business model’ to remain relevant in a changing and competitive environment set the tone for the opening of the fifth edition of the Africa CEO Forum, a Jeune Afrique Group initiative, organized in partnership with the African Development Bank. In his keynote address, Amir Ben Yahmed, Founder and President …

Ghana marketed its treasures of beautiful hinterland, sunny beaches, rich culture, lively cities and rich wildlife at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin, which held from 8-12 March. Considered one of Africa’s true success stories, Ghana is enjoying a stable democracy and incredible development. It’s also becoming a preferred destination of leisure travel on the continent. Ghana’s delegation to the …

“Chikwe – Es Bleibt Ein Traum” (Chikwe – A Forlorn Dream), a book about a Nigerian migrant’s tragic odyssey, has been awarded the Immigration Book Fair Book Prize 2017. The author of the book is Beatrice Onyele (76), a retired nurse based in Frankfurt who has been living in Germany since 1966. She wrote the book in German language. “The …

Madagascar Football Association chief Ahmad pulled off a stunning upset on Thursday, ousting Issa Hayatou, the long-serving president of the Confederation of African Football, in an election at the organization’s congress in Ethiopia. The 57-year-old former government minister, who goes by just a single name, won the CAF presidency by 34 votes to 20 in the poll, bringing to a …

What is it like to be a Black person living in Germany? What does it mean to be excluded from your own society? Prominent guests met recently to discuss these questions and more at the launch of the new multimedia project ‘Afro.Germany’ by the German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). “I used to want to be white,” says Jana Pareigis, …

The BBC Hausa Service will be celebrating its 60th anniversary next week. Various events, recognising the history and success of the service, have been lined up for its Diamond Jubilee in London and Nigeria. BBC Hausa is part of the BBC World Service and reaches 23.3 million people on a weekly basis. It broadcasts to Hausa-speaking audiences, providing radio, online and …

Akosua Puni Essien, the wife of former Chelsea midfielder and Ghanaian legend Michael Essien, has purchased Italian football club Como. She paid 237,000 euros for the Lega Pro side at an auction on Thursday. Ms Essien becomes the first Ghanaian to buy a club in Europe. As reported by the Associated Press, the acquisition does not include the club’s board, …

Security forces shooting dead unarmed protesters, arbitrary arrests, detentions, torture, disappearances, harassment and intimidation are some of the reported human rights abuses that have been continuing for more than four months now in the English-speaking regions of Cameroon, writes Kumi Naidoo* on the ongoing crisis in the country. “I write to you in hiding and with so much fear that …

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki, has assured his compatriots abroad that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari was working assiduously to solve the myriad problems the country is confronted with. Saraki was speaking when he met representatives of the Nigerian community in Berlin. He assured the gathering that the National Assembly was well alive to its …

Chad’s former foreign minister, Moussa Faki Mahamat, assumed office as head of the African Union Commission on Tuesday, pledging to reform the institution and tackle the continent’s many crises. Faki takes over the leadership of the 54-country continental bloc days after the United Nations announced that the food emergencies in four countries, including Somalia, South Sudan and northeast Nigeria, constituted …

Now that the democratically-elected President Adama Barrow has started working in earnest, peace and normalcy has returned to this beautiful country and therefore, it is most apt to invite the visitors, including foreign tourists, to return to our shores, writes author Hassoum Ceesay! Indeed, we have to apologize to all those tourists who had their beautiful stays rudely disrupted in …

GENEVA, Switzerland, 13 March 2017,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Africa CEO Forum 2017, the most high-profile international forum on African private sector development, will be held on 20 and 21 March in Geneva and, for the fifth consecutive year, will salute the economic performance of African business leaders and companies. Every year, the Africa CEO Forum Awards recognise those companies …

"Adults can't change much, their mind is already made up, even if I try to speak to that person. But with young people, you can really talk to them and make it clear: We are all the same. The children are our future."

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled at Berlins’s two airports, causing further misery for passengers already hit by industrial action last week. Ground staff downed tools once more on Monday in a dispute over pay. Initially a one-day walkout, it has now been extended to Wednesday morning. A spokesman for Berlin airports said that almost all flights were cancelled on …

Gambia has applied to Switzerland for the extradition of former Interior Minister Ousman Sonko. This came as the new government intensifies its efforts in ensuring justice for victims and families of those tortured and even killed during the rule of former President Yahya Jammeh. “I have authorized and invoked International Criminal Repatriation Cooperation processes regarding those out of the jurisdiction …

Saturday (11 March) was Ghana Day at the International Tourism Bourse (ITB) Berlin, the world’s largest travel trade exhibition. It was a day when the spotlight was shined on the West African country at the fair and Ghana did not disappoint as it put up a beautiful cultural show. Hundreds of fair visitors besieged the Ghana Stand to watch a …

The German parliament’s upper chamber has rejected a law that would have allowed quicker deportations to Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. The decision deals a blow to Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee strategy, reports Jefferson Chase. In the end, the vote wasn’t even close. Led by federal states with left-leaning governing coalitions, a wide majority of the Bundesrat shot down a law …

Gambia’s government will launch an investigation into the finances of former President Yahya Jammeh, Justice Minister Aboubacarr Tambadou told Reuters on Friday. Tambadou said the investigation would include his personal use of a charity bank account. The government of President Adama Barrow, who beat Jammeh in the December 2016 election before Jammeh fled into exile, had accused Jammeh of siphoning …

Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari returned to his country on Friday after nearly two months of absence. He has been in the UK receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness. Details of his health condition have not been made public. The former military ruler left the country on 19 January and has been on medical leave in London. Buhari (74) is however …