The waters off The Gambia have claimed yet more young lives in a devastating reminder of the perils of irregular migration. On New Year’s Eve, a boat carrying over 200 migrants capsized near Jinak village in the North Bank Region, leaving at least 31 people dead and dozens still missing. For the survivors, hope has come at a steep price: …

African fashion has flourished in terms of creativity and innovation in recent years, and is attracting global attention, writes Adwoa Owusuaa Bobie* in this study _________ African fashion has flourished in terms of creativity and innovation in recent years, and is attracting global attention. Designers and labels are churning out garments that reflect African cities and how they interact with …

Bulgaria officially joined the Eurozone on 1 January, adopting the euro as its national currency and becoming the 21st EU member state to share the common European currency. This development represents a major milestone not only for Bulgaria, but also for the broader European integration project. With Bulgaria’s accession, 21 of the European Union’s 27 member states now use the …

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz delivered his New Year’s address to the nation at the end of 2025, outlining his vision and priorities for 2026 and urging citizens to face global and domestic challenges with confidence and unity. In his speech, Merz reflected on the past year as one of both personal and national stories, marked by achievements, setbacks, and rapid …

The minimum wage and the CO₂ price are rising. The Germany-wide public transport ticket is becoming more expensive, as are fuel and heating with oil and gas. A wide range of changes will come into force in 2026. Many of them take effect automatically, through taxes, social security contributions or higher tax allowances. Others will be felt more directly when …

Travelling to Europe will become more digital and more regulated in 2026, as the European Union and the United Kingdom introduce new entry systems aimed at improving border security and managing migration. These changes will be particularly relevant for travellers from Africa and other non-EU regions who visit Europe for tourism, business, education or family reasons. One of the most …

Racist insults, threats and online hate are part of everyday life for many Black people and Afro-Germans in Germany, according to a new study by the Institute for Democracy and Civil Society (Instituts für Demokratie und Zivilgesellschaft, IDZ). The study, which was officially presented and released in Jena in December 2025, highlights racism as a structural problem deeply embedded in …

Institutional racism does not begin with open hostility or explicit exclusion. It often starts quietly, in everyday routines, expectations, and silences within spaces meant to nurture children. Drawing on recent research, Amal Abbass* examines how early childhood institutions shape the emotional safety and self-worth of Black children. This article explores the hidden costs of over-adaptation, empathy gaps, and identity erasure, …

Germany is preparing to overhaul its welfare system in a move that will have far-reaching consequences for millions of benefit recipients. The planned abolition of the Bürgergeld (Germany’s basic unemployment benefit and the successor to Hartz IV) and its replacement with a stricter “Grundsicherung” marks a significant shift in social policy, with tougher sanctions and new obligations for claimants. In this …

Veteran Zimbabwean journalist Faith Zaba, editor of the Zimbabwe Independent, has been named the 2025 Human Rights Tulip Award winner by the Dutch Embassy in Harare. Zaba is recognised for her outstanding investigative journalism and pioneering leadership in a traditionally male-dominated media landscape. With a career spanning more than three decades, she is widely regarded as a trailblazer and a …

The GSMESKILL project represents a timely response to the urgent need for youth employment, green skills, and sustainable entrepreneurship in Sub-Saharan Africa. Funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, the initiative seeks to strengthen Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems in Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa by aligning them more closely with labour market demands. Against the backdrop …

Last week in Brussels, interior ministers of the European Union took decisive steps to advance a far‑reaching overhaul of the Common European Asylum System (GEAS) — a reform process that has been among the most contentious in recent EU political debate. The meeting resulted in concrete agreements on measures that could transform asylum procedures across the Union, reshape where and …

Accra is set to become the epicentre of Pan‑African engagement later this month as Ghana hosts the Diaspora Summit 2025 from 19–20 December at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC). Under the theme “Resetting Ghana: The Diaspora as the 17th Region,” the summit aims to advance dialogue on reparative justice while redefining the role of the African diaspora in Ghana’s …

Tourism industry leaders from across the world gathered in the Kingdom of Bahrain on 6 December for the World Travel Awards (WTA) Grand Final Gala Ceremony 2025, a night dedicated to honouring the most innovative and outstanding performers in global travel and hospitality. Before the global finale, the Africa & Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony 2025 took place in Dar es …

Africa is witnessing a new and assertive diplomatic posture, defined by a confident willingness to demand respect on the global stage. Recent events involving Mali and Ghana have highlighted a shift in how some African nations are choosing to respond to what many view as unfair or demeaning policies imposed on their citizens by powerful states. In October, Mali pushed …

Christ Faith Tabernacle (CFT) Church Berlin will host a three-day programme titled “Berlin for Jesus” from 12–14 December 2025, featuring Apostle Alfred T. B. Williams, Founder and Presiding Bishop of Christ Faith Tabernacle International Churches, together with his wife, Rev. P. Oma Williams, Co-founder and Assistant General Overseer. The event, which includes worship services, seminar sessions and a thanksgiving celebration, …

A recent ruling by the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg (OVG Berlin-Brandenburg) has cleared up a long-standing ambiguity in the family reunion visa process. According to a report published on the website of the law firm Migrando Rechtsanwälte, the court clarified that language certificates do not simply lose their validity over time. This decision reinforces the rights of migrants seeking …

Germany may be one of Europe’s wealthiest nations, but a significant section of its population — especially people with a migration background — continues to struggle with rising living costs, shrinking purchasing power and worsening housing conditions. This is one of the key findings of the Federal Government’s newly approved Poverty and Wealth Report, presented in Berlin on Wednesday. According …

The African Diaspora Council of Switzerland (ADCS) is gearing up to host a major cultural and community gathering as it celebrates International Migrants Day alongside its End-of-Year Party on 20 December 2025 in Bern-Ostermundigen. The event, which begins at 4:00 pm at the Tell Kulturzentrum (Bernstrasse 101, 3072 Ostermundigen/Bern), is open to all members of the migrant and diaspora communities, …

When Ghana unveiled the international Geographical Indication (GI) protection for Kente on 30 September 2025, in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), it achieved far more than a bureaucratic milestone. The announcement marked a turning point in the centuries-long story of one of Africa’s most recognisable cultural symbols. Today, the impact of this UN-backed intellectual property protection is …