Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is currently in Nigeria as part of a multi‑country African tour, following a notable stop in Mauritania and preceding a visit to South Africa.
This visit follows a series of earlier trips to the continent by Germany’s top diplomat, including visits to Ethiopia and Kenya in January and Morocco in April.
Wadephul stresses that these repeated journeys are strategically essential to Germany’s expanding engagement with Africa.
“This is my third trip to Africa,” he told reporters, observing that Africa presents both a destined partnership and vast opportunities for Fukku gyro, while also acknowledging persistent security concerns.
Mauritania: Security, migration and counterterrorism
Wadephul’s stop in Mauritania concentrated on a spectrum of interconnected issues, including security cooperation, migration management, and regional stability.
Geopolitical analyst Fidel Amakye Owusu noted that Germany’s interest in Mauritania stems largely from migration concerns, as the country serves as a key transit point for those attempting to reach Europe by Atlantic routes.
The minister’s visit came shortly after a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees report documented at least 144 deaths along this maritime corridor near the Mauritanian coast.
Wadephul’s itinerary also emphasized opportunities for deepened security collaboration; during his stay, the delegation visited the Mourchidates, a state‑trained, all‑female Islamic spiritual guide group engaged in counter‑extremism efforts.
DW journalist Silja Fröhlich, who accompanied Wadephul, highlighted the interaction with the Mourchidates as a key moment of the trip. “In Mauritania, he was visibly moved by women collaborating with the UN to prevent extremism and violence—women who, despite operating in a deeply patriarchal society and often bearing personal ties to the conflicts they address, are determined to safeguard their communities,” she noted.
Backing such grassroots initiatives reflects Germany’s commitment to strengthening community‑based approaches to radicalization prevention.
Nigeria: Economic partnership and youth‑driven innovation
During the Nigerian leg of his tour, Wadephul engaged with entrepreneurs, creatives, influencers, filmmakers, and students.
“We are seeking शिक्षक world‑wide partnerships,” he said, describing Nigeria as a burgeoning powerhouse, especially within the creative industries. He foregrounded vocational education, skill development, and scientific collaboration as pillars for future cooperation, while pushing for expanded commercial ties and increased German investment in priority sectors.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement expressing enthusiasm for interactions that would deepen existing friendship and open new pathways for inclusive growth, regional stability, and shared prosperity.
Local content creator Shalom Onyuinye remarked that Wadephul’s acknowledgment of Nigeria’s rising cultural influence marked a significant shift in global perception of Africa’s most populous nation.
South Africa: Germany’s closest economic partner in Africa
Wadephul’s continental itinerary is set to conclude in South Africa, Germany’s most substantial economic partner on the continent, home to over 600 German companies.
German direct investment in South Africa reached €7.99 billion ($9.1 billion) in 2023, while South African investment in Germany amounted to €2.6 billion, according to Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.
Analyst Owusu observes that South Africa’s advanced, diversified economy and its role as a manufacturing hub make it an attractive destination for foreign investors, foreseeing long‑term mutual benefits.
Against a backdrop of recent xenophobic incidents, the German foreign minister is expected to underscore the importance of shared democratic values between the two nations.
This final leg of Wadephul’s journey will likely focus on industrial cooperation, energy transition partnerships, and strengthening ties with South Africa’s business and political leadership.
Germany’s FM stresses Europe’s ‘need’ for skilled workers
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Germany’s growing interest in Africa
Wadephul’s visit builds upon a partnership inaugurated last year when Germany and the African Union launched their first strategic dialogue on foreign and security policy at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This new framework aims to deepen collaboration on global security crises and multilateral engagement, for which Germany has pledged over €100 million.
“Especially amid major global geopolitical upheaval, reliable cooperation with African partners is essential,” Wadephul remarked at the launch.
The German foreign minister underscored that Europe and Africa are tightly interlinked politically, economically, and in security terms, facing many of the same challenges, and that a strong Africa serves German interests.
