TimeLine Layout

August, 2026

  • 8 August

    Nigerian Diaspora 2026: From Dialogue to Actionable Commitments

    Nigeria’s 2026 National Diaspora Day ended with a push to turn the expertise of Nigerian doctors and other health professionals abroad into a more permanent part of the country’s healthcare system. The two-day event, held on 24 and 25 July at the Presidential Villa in Abuja and attended virtually by Nigerians around the world, followed the government’s pre-event call for …

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  • 7 August

    Germany plans wider use of AI in asylum and migration procedures

    Germany is moving towards a wider use of artificial intelligence in asylum, visa and residence procedures, with the federal government arguing that the technology could make migration administration faster and more consistent. But the proposed rules are already raising concerns about privacy, discrimination and the risk of allowing algorithms to influence decisions about people’s lives. The federal cabinet approved a …

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  • 7 August

    African festivals not to miss before summer ends!

    There’s still time to catch the best of African music and culture in Germany this summer. From lively street festivals to open-air concerts, here are the events worth making time for before the season ends. African Music Festival Emmendingen 7 – 9 August / Emmendingen, Schlossplatz The festival celebrates its 26th anniversary this year. What began as a modest gathering …

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  • 7 August

    Germany’s labour market increasingly dependent on immigrants — Study

    Migrants are becoming ever more central to Germany’s workforce, but many are still working well below their qualifications, and women in particular continue to struggle to find jobs. That’s the picture painted by a new Focus Paper from the Bertelsmann Stiftung, which takes a close look at how migrants are faring on the German labour market. The numbers underline just …

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  • 5 August

    Cologne’s African film festival returns with stories of healing, memory and hope

    For more than two decades, Cologne has set aside ten late-summer days for African cinema to take centre stage, and this year is no exception. From 17 to 27 September, the Afrika Film Festival Köln returns for its 23rd edition, once again turning the city into a meeting point for filmmakers, audiences and stories that rarely get this kind of …

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  • 1 August

    What Changes in Germany in August 2026

    From labelling requirements for artificial intelligence to a new legal right to all-day school care, several new laws and regulations take effect in Germany in August 2026. While some changes mainly affect businesses, others will have a direct impact on families, workers and everyday consumers. Here is our guide to the seven changes that matter most, explained without the legal …

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  • 1 August

    Erstorientierungskurse: Alternative for Asylum-Seekers and Duldung Holders

    With voluntary access to Germany’s full Integrationskurse (integration courses) still largely closed to asylum-seekers and people with a Duldung (toleration permit) — even after the partial reopening from 1 August 2026 — Erstorientierungskurse (EOK, “first orientation courses”) remain, for now, the main structured option available to them. Here is what they are and how to access one. What they are …

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  • 1 August

    Germany: Integration Courses Partially Reopen for Voluntary Applicants

    Germany has partly lifted its months-long freeze on voluntary admissions to Integrationskurse (integration courses), but the reopening — which takes effect on 1 August — offers little relief to asylum-seekers and people living with a Duldung (toleration permit). This is a follow-up to our earlier reports on the funding crisis affecting integration courses, including our last week’s story on warnings …

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July, 2026

  • 31 July

    The Blue Sharks: How Cape Verde Won the Heart of the World

    What does Cape Verde’s remarkable World Cup journey mean to its global diaspora? In this deeply personal reflection, renowned academic, former MEP and respected voice in the African diaspora in Europe, Dr Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, explores how the Blue Sharks’ success became a powerful celebration of identity, belonging and pride for Cape Verdeans — and Africans everywhere. The extraordinary journey of …

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  • 31 July

    Kola-Nuts for the Architects of Our Lives

    A summer visit home to Nigeria became much more than a family reunion for Belgium-based writer Collins Nweke* and his wife, Tonia. It turned into a deeply moving journey of gratitude, memory and rediscovery — one that reminds all of us, especially those living in the diaspora, of the people whose quiet influence shaped our lives. This heartfelt essay will …

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