Germany’s minister of economic co-operation and development, Dr Gerd Müller, is presently promoting a plan to redesign the country’s relationship with Africa. Launched in Berlin early this year, the plan proposes new planks in German-African ties with the aim of promoting sustainable political stability and economic growth in Africa. ‘Marshall Plan with Africa’, in a nutshell, is a way to …

The wife of Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, has spoken out about the health of her husband, stating that “his health is not as bad as it’s being perceived.” Aisha Buhari took to Twitter yesterday apparently in response to the growing anxiety in the country over the health of its leader. She also thanked Nigerians for their “concern, love and prayers …

A 28-year-old man has won 221 Kenyan Shillings (US$2 million) after perfectly predicting the scores of 17 matches last weekend in a football betting jackpot. This is one of the biggest wins in Africa and for Kenya’s largest online sports betting service SportPesa. The jackpot winner, Samuel Abisai, was picked up on Tuesday in a white limousine together with his friends …

A group of leading civil society activists in Nigeria has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to take an official leave and hand over his office to his deputy, Vice-President Yemi Osibajo. Buhari returned from the UK, where he was on medical vacation, on 10 March and since his return, he has only made a few public appearances. The activists’ call …

Ghana and Pescara’s  player Sulley Muntari confronted racism boldly on Sunday during a Serie A match  involving his club in Cagliari. The 32-year-old midfielder complained to the referee about racist chants of Cagliari fans but was punished for his complaints, prompting him to take action himself by leaving the pitch in protest. The Ghana international had appealed to the referee …

Even as many countries in the developing world have stepped up their commitment to improving and expanding education opportunities, education has remained chronically underfinanced, with funding levels far below what is needed to achieve education benchmarks

An opening ceremony was held for the construction of 45 sports fields for socially disadvantaged youth in Namibia recently. In the future, nearly 14,000 young Namibians across the country will be able to use the sports fields for free to play football or other sports. Germany’s development ministry has teamed up with prominent partners for the project. They include partners …

In response to the many reports of the maltreatment of sub-Saharan migrants in Libyan detention centres, the International Organization for Migration, IOM, has begun training officials in five facilities on human rights. These are “the first trainings inside detention centres since 2014”, the United Nations Support Mission for Libya (UNSMIL) announced. In the pilot project, IOM is targeting five centres …

Pope Francis has urged Muslim leaders to unite in renouncing religious extremism during the first day of his 2-day trip to Egypt. The visit, amid tight security, is aimed at promoting better ties between Muslim and Christian leaders and comes after two deadly attacks on Egyptian Coptic churches this month which left 45 people dead. The Pope paid a courtesy …

The 28 EU Member States granted protection status to 710,400 asylum seekers last year, more than double that of 2015, Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, reported on Wednesday. Some 57 per cent of those granted asylum were Syrians. Iraqis (9% of the total), Afghans (9%), Eritreans (5%) and Iran and Somalia (2%) were the next major recipient-nationalities. Germany gave asylum …

Retailers, manufacturers, distributors, representatives of trade and industry and musicians and music fans from all over the world came together at Frankfurt Fair and Exhibition Centre for this year’s Musikmesse (Music Fair). From 5 to 8 April 2017, visitors from 119 countries attended the event to discover the latest developments in the market, make contacts and participate in the extensive …

The Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) has asked the descendants of the victims of the OvaHerero and Nama genocide in Namibia during the German colonial rule of the country for forgiveness. “As the successor organisation of the former Prussian Evangelical High Church Council (Oberkirchenrat), we expressly confess our guilt today towards the entire Namibian people and before God,” says the …

Ethiopian journalist and blogger, Eskinder Nega, has been named the winner of a top press freedom award despite being in jail since 2011. The International Press Institute (IPI) on Tuesday (25 April) named him as the winner of the ‘World Press Freedom Hero for this year. Nega was imprisoned reportedly after criticizing his country’s abuse of anti-terror laws to silence …

The Yoruba Elite Club, a cultural group based in the southern German city of Munich, in conjunction with Jaiyeola Promotions will hold several events on 19-20 May to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lagos State and the Ankara, a popular print fabric worn by many Africans. Lagos, one of Nigeria’s 36 states, was created about 50 years ago during one …

Germany's official crime statistics for 2016 have shown a rise in violent crime across the country - including among young male migrants. "There is no sugar coating here," Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said at a crowded press conference in Berlin on Monday.

Political and business leaders from Germany and Africa converge on Hamburg on 25-26 April for the 11th German-African Energy Forum. The annual event offers a platform for players in the energy sector for interaction and networking. Ministers from eleven African countries and two German State Secretaries will attend the conference. The African ministers, in charge of energy and/or industries, are …

Moscow hosted the third edition of “Morocco Festival” , an event that showcased and introduced Moroccan products to Russian customers, in Moscow on 14-23 April. Organised by the Moroccan Centre for Exports Promotion – “Maroc Export”-, the fair highlighted Made-in-Morocco products such as textile, leather, cosmetics, footwear and decoration articles to target a new strategic market. Through its rich culture, Morocco …

A graduate of Britain’s Coventry University devoted to tackling terrorism will talk about how he stopped a young man joining ISIS with just hours to spare, when he speaks in Ghana this month. Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar, a graduate of Coventry’s International Terrorism masters course, has already helped at least 20 people turn away from extremism since he set up a …

“I’m used to not being German enough, living in this country, but not being African enough to represent Africa in Germany was a new one to me,” writes Jennifer Odusola, an Afro-German, on her experience of being considered not qualified to represent her father’s continent of origin. Thoughtless statements or comments that aren’t meant to ‘offend’ often have ways of …

British Airways has come under fire from President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana for the way it treats customers. In what counts as a major embarrassment for the airline, the Ghanaian leader criticised “the quality of the planes and the service” on the Accra-London-Accra route.   The president made the grievances of Ghanaians known when the Head of Middle East, Africa …