News

McDonald’s CEO seeks ‘a clearer future’ for refugees in Germany

The head of the fast-food chain McDonald’s in Germany says refugees should be offered more certain future prospects. Holger Beeck also said that he could not understand why well-integrated migrants are deported. McDonald’s has employed more than 5,000 refugees since 2015, the company’s CEO in Germany, Holger Beeck, told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung. “These are people who came to (McDonald’s), …

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Four African countries license vaccine for Ebola prevention

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, Ghana and Zambia have licensed an Ebola vaccine, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Registration of the vaccine is expected in additional countries in the coming weeks. The licensing of the vaccine means that the manufacturer can stockpile and widely distribute this vaccine to African countries at risk of Ebola virus …

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Why Omar al-Bashir may not be delivered to the ICC

Sudan has promised to hand over ex-President Omar al-Bashir to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague to face genocide and war crimes charges, BBC has reported. The new transitional government was reported to have agreed to hand over all actors in the war wanted by the ICC during peace talks with Darfur groups. “Justice cannot be achieved if …

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What African leaders fail to learn from Mandela, by Leymah Gbowee

Tuesday, 11 February 2020 marked the 30th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison after 27 years of incarceration by the then South African apartheid regime. Liberian peace activist Leymah Roberta Gbowee delivered a lecture at an event organised by the Nelson Mandela Foundation to commemorate the historic day in Cape Town’s City Hall. Ms Gbowee, who was awarded the …

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Family launches project to mark 30th anniversary of Mandela’s release from prison

30th Anniversary Of Nelson Mandela’s Release From Prison To Be Marked With The Launch Of Mandela Freedom Project JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, February 11th, 2020,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The House of Mandela is set to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison by launching the Mandela Freedom Project. The Freedom Project is a unifying global initiative to advance …

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AU Summit commits to ending all conflicts in Africa

The 33rd Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union ended in Addis Ababa on Monday with the organisation expressing its commitment to tackling the continent’s challenges. The Summit, which took place from 9-10 February under the theme “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”, agreed to undertake actions, including mediation …

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African leaders gather in Addis Ababa to discuss conflicts on the continent

African leaders converge in Addis Ababa for the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government Summit of the African Union on 9-10 February. Amongst many issues on the agenda, the 2020 Assembly under the theme “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”, will take stock of the challenges to peace, stability and sustainable development on …

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Time to put climate change on African Union’s agenda, by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala

As African leaders converge at the 33rd Ordinary Session of the Heads of State and Government Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on 9-10 February, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Finance Minister of Nigeria and Co-Chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, explains in this opinion piece why an African leadership role on climate action is …

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German Chancellor Merkel visits South Africa, Angola

German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s arrived in Pretoria on Wednesday in the first leg of her 4-day trip to South Africa and Angola. Top on her agenda on the visit is increased economic co-operation with both countries, say analysts. South Africa is Germany’s biggest trading partner in Africa and Angola, with its mineral riches, promises more opportunities for German companies. South …

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National body of Ghanaian associations in Germany chooses new leaders

 The Union of Ghanaian Associations in Germany (UGAG) elected a new National Executive Committee at its recent bi-annual conference held in Kassel. The conference, attended by representatives of local Ghanaian associations from all over Germany, chose the following 7-member National Executive Committee officials: Mr. Akwasi Opoku Edusei – President; Mr. Alexander Okai Anane – Vice-president; Mr. Aaron Hooper – General Secretary; Mr. Paul …

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Nigeria launches new visa policy

President Muhammadu Buhari launched the new Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2020 at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday. The objective of the NVP 2020 is to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a key economy in Africa by attracting more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country’s economy, he said. The NVP 2020 features visa-on-arrival for African Union nationals, increase in …

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Brexit’s Transition Period: What you should know

The United Kingdom officially ended its 47 years of European Union membership on 31 January, ending the uncertainties that have characterised the bloc since 23 June 2016 when 52 percent of Britons voted to take their country out of the then 28-member bloc (now 27). Brexit however is yet to be fully consummated as the two sides still have to …

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Nigerian government reacts to US visa restrictions

The Nigerian government has officially reacted to the Trump administration’s decision to add the country to the latest list of nations to face stringent travel restrictions to the United States. In a press statement signed by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, the Nigerian government clarified that the measure “is the suspension of the issuance of immigrant visas to Nigerian passport holders …

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US imposes new travel restrictions on Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan, Tanzania, two others

President Donald Trump has added Nigeria, Eritrea, Sudan and Tanzania as well as Myanmar and Kyrgyzstan to the list of countries to face stringent travel restrictions to the United States, according to an official announcement on Friday. In line with the new policy, immigrant visas, issued to those seeking to live permanently in the United States, will be banned for …

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Greece plans sea barriers to block irregular migrants from reaching its islands

The Greek government unveiled a plan to build sea barriers across the Aegean Sea in a bid to prevent irregular migrants crossing to the Greek islands from Turkey in a bid, according to analysts, to call the bluff of Turkish President Erdogan, who has repeatedly threatened to send millions of refugees to Europe. Greece’s defence ministry published a call for …

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EU unemployment at 20-year low

Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, has released figures showing that unemployment in the EU is at its lowest since 2000. The average unemployment rate in the 28 EU states was 6.2 percent in December 2019, the lowest in almost 20 years. The Czech Republic (2.0 percent) as well as Germany and the Netherlands (both 3.2 percent) had the lowest jobless …

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More and more people work multiple jobs in Germany

Over 3 million people in Germany work more than one job, many because of financial difficulties. Opposition politicians are calling for the minimum wage to be raised. The number of people in Germany working a second job rose nearly 4% in the space of a year, according to figures from the Federal Employment Agency. They were revealed in response to …

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