On Thursday, 5 November 2020, the Bundestag voted in favour of the Federal Government’s draft law “to strengthen security in passports, identity cards and documents relating to foreigners”. New identity cards will mandatorily contain two fingerprints from August next year. With this Bundestag resolution, Germany is implementing European law. According to the draft law, new requirements will also apply to …
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Lead Academy: Application closes on 15 November, Apply now!!
An invitation has gone out to young people of African descent in Germany to participate in the Lead Academy 2020 via Zoom on 24-26 November. The event is organised by Lead Africa International e.V., a global non-governmental organization dealing with development issues. The three-day virtual event precedes the Global Partnership for African Development (G-PAD) 2020 Forum, with the theme Strengthening …
Read More »Solar on the Rise in Africa – New report
Africa has immense potential for photovoltaics which has barely been utilized up until now. But a pioneering spirit is spreading across the continent, with many countries paving the way for ambitious photovoltaics projects. This is the conclusion of the Intersolar Solarize Africa Market Report 2020, prepared by the Becquerel Institute and the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) with support from Intersolar …
Read More »Covid-19: New regulation for travellers entering Germany goes into effect
New quarantine rules for people entering Germany from risk areas enters into force on 8 November. Up to now, anyone returning to Germany from a risk area has been subject to compulsory testing and quarantine. The new regulation provides for a reduction of the quarantine period from 14 to 10 days. What are the new rules? Anyone who has been …
Read More »Documentary about König Bansah and his daughter wins prestigious film prize
A new documentary film “König Bansah und seine Tochter” (King Bansah and his daughter), which takes viewers to Ludwigshafen, where a chief from Ghana lives and runs a car repair workshop, and on a journey to Africa where he’s a chief who is active in the development of his community – depicting a life between two identities, has won a …
Read More »It’s time to heal, Biden says as he emerges US president
Joseph Robinette Biden of the Democratic Party on Saturday said he is “honored and humbled“ by the trust the American people had placed in him and Vice-President elect, Kamala Harris. Biden has won Tuesday’s presidential election to become the 46th elected President of the United States. In a statement, Biden said he was “honoured and humbled“ by the trust the …
Read More »Libya: 1,000 migrants intercepted at sea and returned to Libya in 3 days
In a sign that it may become increasingly difficult to cross the Mediterranean on boat, a major route of irregular migration to Europe from Africa, Libya’s coast guard intercepted about 1,000 migrants and returned them to Libya within three days in the past week. From Sunday until Tuesday, a total of 935 migrants who tried to cross the Mediterranean Sea …
Read More »Coronavirus: More than 21,000 new infections in Germany in a single day
Coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in Germany. The number of registered new infections has reached a new record level of 21,506 cases within one day on Thursday. It was the highest single-day rise since the pandemic began, according to the country’s centre for disease prevention, Robert-Koch-Institute (RKI), in its report on Friday morning . Thursday’s caseload was an increase by …
Read More »The Unbearable Predicament for LBGT Asylum-Seekers in the UK and Europe
An unfortunate effect of COVID-19, to include on the already long list, is that news stories which would usually make the headlines are either not being reported or are consigned to the back pages. What can happen is that governments then feel able to ignore important issues safe in the knowledge that they may be less likely to be challenged.
Read More »Facebook launches campaign to support Kenya’s creative industry
Facebook and Creatives Garage launch #RealpeopleRealstories, a campaign that supports the Creative industry. Through its partnership with Creatives Garage, Facebook aims to support the creative industry in Kenya by providing a platform where they can amplify their work and inspire others NAIROBI, Kenya, November 4, 2020/ — Facebook and Creatives Garage launched #RealpeopleRealstories – a campaign that showcases the stories …
Read More »First Nigerian American elected to United States Congress
Adeoye Omolewa has been elected into the US House of Representative. The Democratic candidate defeated its Republican rival on Tuesday to gain a ‘shadow’ (non-voting) seat in the House to represent the District of Columbia (also known as DC or Washington) which is the capital city of the United States of America. Owolewa garnered a whopping 164,026 votes, representing 82.84 …
Read More »Diaspora group on what Nigeria should learn from US elections
Nigeria could learn from the United States electoral process to build on democratic gains in the country, the African Diaspora Congress (ADC) said on Wednesday Prof. Apollos Nwauwa, the Secretary-General and Public Relations Officer of the US-based organisation, made the comment in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). According to Nwauwa, the outcome of the current …
Read More »Should a growing business hire employees or contractors?
Business is booming in Africa, tipped as a continent to watch in the coming years. This is principally because African economies have experienced an influx of foreign investment interest and an explosion of local entrepreneurship in recent years. From the continent commanding the spotlight on solar energy to the businesses propelling the ‘Made In Africa’ label across the globe, the business world …
Read More »Obasanjo, Jonathan to address Nigerian Diaspora Europe Conference
Nigerians from all parts of Europe, joined by guests from across the globe, will gather on 11-14 November for the annual general meeting of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE). The event, which holds both physically and virtually, is being hosted in Dortmund, Germany, by the German chapter of the organisation, NIDO Germany. Eminent Nigerian leaders, including former Presidents …
Read More »Germany: Scholarship for journalists from countries in crisis
Journalists from countries in crisis or war can apply to stay in Berlin for three months. Reporters Without Borders Germany, in cooperation with taz Panter Foundation, will host three journalists in 2021. The Rest and Refuge Scholarship will provide travel, an apartment, a living stipend and transportation in Berlin. “We offer travel expenses, a decent apartment, a monthly stipend of …
Read More »Donald Trump Leads with African Youths – New survey
Six percent of young Africans polled across the entire Survey believe that US President Donald Trump in particular is the single-most important individual that has had the greatest impact on the continent over the past five years, and, should he be elected to a second term of Office,..
Read More »EU Parliament marks first European Gender Equality Week
Press Statement by Dr. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, Member of the European Parliament, on the first European Gender Equality Week, which was marked on 26-29 October 2020: —— On the initiative of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM), the European Parliament marked its first “European Gender Equality Week” from 26 to 29 October 2020 – 25 years after the …
Read More »Germany to remove the word “race” from the Constitution – Justice Minister
According to Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), the Federal Government wants to have the controversial term “race” quickly deleted from the Basic Law, the country’s constitution. “There is complete agreement that there are no different races of people,” the politician told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. “That is why we in the Federal Government have agreed to revise the Basic Law at …
Read More »Corona Lockdown: These rules apply in Germany in November
The hairdresser stays open, restaurants have to close: strict restrictions in everyday life apply nationwide from Monday until the end of November as part of new wide-ranging measures to fight Covid-19 by significantly reducing person-to-person contacts in Germany. The corona containment measures at a glance. Who can still meet now? In principle, the Federal Government and the Länder have decided …
Read More »President Magufuli wins re-election in Tanzania as opposition cries foul
Tanzania’s President John Magufuli has won the presidential election, the National Electoral Commission announced on Friday, giving him a second five-year term. Magufuli of the long ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) received 12.5 million votes in Wednesday’s election – or 85 percent – while his main challenger, Tundu Lissu of the Chadema party, got 1.9 million votes, or 13 percent, …
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THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.