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N-Word: Germany’s Black community to protest against court decision allowing use of racist word

Members of the Black community in Germany will hit the streets of Cologne on Saturday, 18 January to register their protest against the controversial decision of a court that describing people of African descent as “neger” is not necessarily derogatory. The state constitutional court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) had ruled on 19 December that sanctioning the leader of the AfD …

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Sick without papers in Germany: Here’s where to get help

According to estimates, about 1 million people in Germany have no health insurance. There are many reasons for this: mainly because they do not have a regular residency status but also because they cannot afford to pay for health and nursing care insurance as students. There’re organisations that helps people without health insurance, regardless of whether they have legal residency rights or not.

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Orange, GIZ partner to impart digital skills on 20,000 youths in Africa

Orange and GIZ as two major institutions - one recognized for its expertise and know-how in the field of innovation, the other recognized by its experience and expertise in supporting the economic and social development of partner countries - will work hand in hand to train young people in digital skills, improve their employability and thus help reduce unemployment.

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N-Word: Noah Becker‘s victory in Berlin and the setback in Magdeburg

The State Constitutional Court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Landesverfassungsgericht Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), sitting in Magdeburg, ruled on 19 December that sanctioning an AfD member of the state parliament, Nikolaus Kramer, over the use of the word “neger” during a debate in the house amounted to a restriction of his right to free expression. Kramer had taken the leadership of the state parliament to …

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Experts predict bright economic future for East Africa in new report

As the global recession gathers strength, most African economies are relatively unaffected owing to the strength of economic diversity in some regions. This is according to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) latest report, Economic Update: Africa Q4 2019. The professional accountancy body provides GDP growth forecasts for various regions including East Africa, which is the …

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Is the renaming of CFA franc a prelude to an Ecowas common currency?

Francophone West African countries have decided to rename their common currency CFA franc as the Eco. Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara announced the decision during a press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in Abidjan on 23 December, showing that it was a decision jointly reached with France. The currency is used by Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, …

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OPEN LETTER: Germany, We are not your Negroes! – by Charlotte Nzimiro, petitioner against N-Word

Charlotte Nzimiro launched the ongoing petition against the scandalous judgement of the State Constitutional Court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), de facto recognising that the word “Neger” (Engl. Nigger, Negro) could be used to describe people of African descent in Germany. Nzimiro’s petition, launched on 20 December and which has already gathered more than 42,000 signatures within 2 days, calls for …

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Germany: Black activist petitions against court decision allowing use of N-Word

Activist launches petition campaign for the classification of “neger” as a racist word in Germany after eastern state court gives AfD member the right to call people of African descent by the derogatory word. AfD is a xenophobic, extreme right-wing party. The state constitutional court of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania (Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) ruled on Thursday (19 December) that sanctioning the leader of the …

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Application for German fellowship for young African professionals opens

Are you a highly qualified young professional and you are not older than 35 years? Do you have several years of working experience, strong leadership qualities and a high level of dedication? Are you from a country in Africa? If yes, then apply until 10 January 2020 for AFRIKA KOMMT! The fellowship programme​ offers the opportunity of a fully-sponsored one-year …

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Uganda, Ghana and Botswana have world’s highest percentage of women-owned businesses, finds study

Third edition of Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs profiles the progress and achievement of women entrepreneurs across 58 societies around the world   The third edition of the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs (MIWE) has listed three African countries as global leaders in terms of women-owned businesses. Uganda, Ghana and Botswana are ranked as the top three countries with the …

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TANG mobilises diaspora for African development

The African Network in Germany (TANG) celebrated the concluding forum of its municipal development policy (kommunale Entwicklungspolitik) activities on Saturday, attracting participants, ranging from German government officials and communal politicians to representatives of African diaspora organisations. Declaring the event open, Dr Sylvie Nantcha, chairman of TANG, gave a brief introduction of the organization, a network of more than 600 African …

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Germany-based company builds for diaspora Nigerians at home

Millions of Nigerians live and work in the diaspora and they send billions of euros back home annually. In 2018, remittances of Nigerians living abroad amounted to about €20 billion, according to figures released by the Central Bank of Nigeria in March. Most of the funds are sent to friends and relatives for various purposes, with real estate, food, education …

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Journalism exchange scholarship opens for African and German participants

International Journalists’ Programmes (IJP) offer scholarship to six young African and five young German journalists. For two months the African participants will have the chance to work in Germany and will be integrated into the day-to-day journalism of their host newsroom while also researching stories for their home media. Journalists, aged 25 to 40, from Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of …

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Merkel warns Germany’s labour shortage could spark exodus of companies

Germany is hoping to recruit qualified workers from outside the EU to prevent companies from moving their business abroad. Berlin is looking to countries such as Mexico, Vietnam and India to fill the gaps. German Chancellor Angela Merkel used her weekly podcast on Saturday to sound the alarm on the country’s skilled labour shortage, saying it could force companies to move elsewhere. …

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Afrozensus: Measuring anti-Black Racism and Discrimination in Germany

While speaking at the opening of the People of African Descent (PAD) Week Germany on 28 November in the Bundestag, Goran Buldioski, co-director of Open Society Initiative for Europe, called for more data on the experience of Black people, including on racism and discrimination. That is precisely the objective of a unique project, presented at one of the workshops on the …

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Report shows investors’ optimism in sub-Saharan Africa despite challenges

In the largest survey of its kind, The Africa List Business Barometer reveals a high degree of confidence in the business environment across Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, despite ongoing challenges London, 04 December 2019: A survey of over 350 business leaders across five of some of Africa’s fastest growing economies reveals a high degree of optimism …

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Nigeria spent more than $4 billion to import rice, wheat, others in 12 months

No less than N1.3 trillion ($4.3 billion or €3.8 billion) was spent by the Nigeria on the importation of rice, fish, sugar and wheat in the last 12 months, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Tuesday. The bank’s Deputy Governor, Corporate Services, Edward Lametek, spoke at a seminar organised for Finance reporters in Owerri, Imo State. Speaking on …

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