Germany's Angela Merkel dates Africa

  1. Posted on Tuesday 5 July 2011 - 09:16
    Sanday
    Image of Sanday
    Sanday Chongo Kabange, AfricaNews reporter in Berlin, Germany
    Germany's charismatic chancellor Angela Merkel is in two weeks time set to make state visits to three African countries. Merkel is set to visit Nigeria, Kenya and Angola when she makes her second visit to Africa, with her maiden visit being in 2007.
    Angela Merkel of Germany
    Merkel took over as Chancellor in 2005 before being re-elected in 2009.

    She made her first four-day visit to Africa in 2007 where she spoke about ways to fight disease and poverty and to improve human rights.

    She toured Ethiopia, South Africa and Liberia. At the time she visited she was wearing the hats of a humanitarian, a corruption-fighter and a peace-maker as well as the head of the Group of Eight industrialised nations, aiming to address issues of poverty, disease and human rights.

    Reports then indicated that German industry was dissatisfied and puzzled as to why a number of countries such as Angola, Kenya and Nigeria -- that were desperate for foreign investment to fuel their rapid growth were not included as destinations on Merkel's brief tour.

    According to foreign office officials here, Merkel's visit to the three African states is to solidify Afro-Deutsche relations.

    Although full details of her visit to Africa are yet to unfold, the German iron lady and her entourage are expected to sign several bilateral agreements. Merkel is also expected to hold talks centered on economic cooperation, governance and political reforms.

    French President Nicolas Sarkozy and US President Barrack Obama are among Western leaders who have visited Africa in recent years.

    Africa enjoys good relations with Germany, which has continued to inject huge sums of money in various developmental projects across the continent.

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