Our Mandate
The German Africa Foundation (DAS) is a non-partisan foundation committed to the successful implementation of the Africa policy guidelines of the German Federal Government. As a facilitator, we offer a platform for partnership-based exchange between German and African actors and thus strengthen cooperation with the states and institutions of our neighbouring continent. Hereby, we particularly focus on the work in the parliamentary sphere. In the context of expert talks, parliamentary breakfasts and panel discussions, we bring together members of the German Bundestag, specialist ministries and other political decision-makers from Germany and Africa. At the same time, we advocate greater involvement of representatives of African embassies and the African diaspora in German politics.
One of our core tasks is to convey a differentiated image of Africa in the political arena and to the German public. Since 1993, we have been awarding the German Africa Award every year, honouring outstanding personalities from the neighbouring continent who have rendered outstanding services to democracy, peace, human rights, accountability, art and culture, social market economy and social issues. In this way, we bring new developments in Africa to the attention of the German public and promote a differentiated perception of our neighbouring continent.
In our weekly press review we provide an overview of current political developments in Africa and offer a collection of online reports on Africa by German-speaking as well as selected English and French-speaking media. With our Africa Info Hub we furthermore offer an overview of Africa-relevant institutions, country-specific information as well as selected professional articles and are thus the first contact point for people interested in Africa.
Our History
The German Africa Foundation (DAS) has been committed to promoting German-African relations for 45 years. On 10 May 1978, the Foundation was founded as a membership association by a number of politicians of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU). In the same year, the Foundation was included in the institutional funding of the Federal Foreign Office. From the very beginning, the DAS worked closely with the political foundations and advised the German Federal Government on African-related policy issues.
Under the chairmanship of Karl-Heinz Hornhues (CDU), Member of the German Bundestag, the Foundation underwent a strategic reorientation and increasingly adopted a non-partisan stance: in 1991, members of other parliamentary groups joined the Foundation for the first time and members of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) and Free Democratic Party (FDP) were elected to the board. A second wave of expansion followed in 1994, during which Dr Uschi Eid, the current president of the DAS, also became a board member. Under her leadership, the DAS was transformed into the cross-party foundation that exists today. Currently, the DAS board brings together active and former members of parliament from various parties, as well as representatives from business and civil society.
Dr Uschi Eid
President
Dr Uschi Eid was a member of the German Bundestag for 20 years, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) (1998 – 2005) and Personal Representative for Africa of Chancellor Schröder. She worked in Eritrea for three years and has been President of the DAS since 2015.
Dr Uschi Eid
President
Dr Uschi Eid was a member of the German Bundestag for 20 years, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) (1998 – 2005) and Personal Representative for Africa of Chancellor Schröder. She worked in Eritrea for three years and has been President of the DAS since 2015.
President of the German Africa Foundation
Spokesperson for foreign cultural policy of the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Parliamentary Group
Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on Water and Sanitation
G-8 Africa Representative of the Federal Chancellor
Parliamentary State Secretary at the BMZ
Member of Parliament for the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Parliamentary Group
Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development
Member of Parliament for the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen Parliamentary Group
Bild: test
Prof Dr Karl-Heinz Hornhues
Honorary President
For many years, Prof Dr Karl-Heinz Hornhues chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag and served as president of the German Africa Foundation. In 2008, he and his wife founded the Ellen und Karl-Heinz Hornhues Stiftung ProAfrika.
Prof Dr Karl-Heinz Hornhues
Honorary President
For many years, Prof Dr Karl-Heinz Hornhues chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag and served as president of the German Africa Foundation. In 2008, he and his wife founded the Ellen und Karl-Heinz Hornhues Stiftung ProAfrika.
Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee
Deputy Chairman of the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group
President of the German Africa Foundation
Member of Parliament for the CDU/CSU Parliamentary Group
Christoph Matschie
Vice-President
Christoph Matschie has been a visiting researcher at the Centre for International Peace Operations (ZIF) since 2021, focusing on the Horn of Africa and cooperation with the German Bundestag. Previously, he was head of the Africa discussion group of the SPD parliamentary group and deputy foreign policy spokesperson. He was a member of the German Bundestag from 1990 to 2004 and from 2017 to 2021.
Christoph Matschie
Vice-President
Christoph Matschie has been a visiting researcher at the Centre for International Peace Operations (ZIF) since 2021, focusing on the Horn of Africa and cooperation with the German Bundestag. Previously, he was head of the Africa discussion group of the SPD parliamentary group and deputy foreign policy spokesperson. He was a member of the German Bundestag from 1990 to 2004 and from 2017 to 2021.
Visiting Researcher, Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF); Working focus Horn of Africa and cooperation with the German Bundestag
Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag
Minister for Education, Science and Culture in Thuringia
Chairman of the SPD Parliamentary Group in the State Parliament of Thuringia
Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research
Dr Wolfgang Stefinger MP
Vice-President
Since 2025, Dr Wolfgang Stefinger has been the Chair of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, where he has been a member since 2017. He also serves as vice-chairman of the parliamentary friendship group Southern Africa and is a member of the parliamentary friendship group of the Maghreb States.
Dr Wolfgang Stefinger MP
Vice-President
Since 2025, Dr Wolfgang Stefinger has been the Chair of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, where he has been a member since 2017. He also serves as vice-chairman of the parliamentary friendship group Southern Africa and is a member of the parliamentary friendship group of the Maghreb States.
Chair of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, vice-chairman of the parliamentary friendship group Southern Africa and member of the parliamentary friendship group of the Maghreb States
Group coordinator of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development, Vice-Chairman of the Southern Africa Parliamentary Group and full member of the Eastern Africa Parliamentary Group.
Chairman of the Development Policy Committee of the CSU Foreign and Security Policy Working Group (ASP)
Member of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development
Dieter Härthe
Treasurer
Dieter Härthe is Chairman of the Senate of Economy International and Honorary Chairman of the Senate of Economy Germany. For more than 20 years he has been Consul General of the Republic of Senegal for the federal states of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. He is co-author of the BMZ study “Marshall Plan with Africa” and advocates investments in Africa by German companies.
Dieter Härthe
Treasurer
Dieter Härthe is Chairman of the Senate of Economy International and Honorary Chairman of the Senate of Economy Germany. For more than 20 years he has been Consul General of the Republic of Senegal for the federal states of Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein. He is co-author of the BMZ study “Marshall Plan with Africa” and advocates investments in Africa by German companies.
Chairman of the Senate of Economy International
Honorary Chairman of the Senate of Economy Germany
Member of the Board of the Global Economic Network
Honorary Consul of the Republic of Senegal
Klaus A. Hess
Legal Adviser
The publisher and journalist Klaus A. Hess, who served as President of the German-Namibian Society (DNG) from 1982 to 2023, is now its Honorary President. For decades, he has been committed to fostering relations between Germany and Namibia. His publishing house produces the Namibiamagazin.
Klaus A. Hess
Legal Adviser
The publisher and journalist Klaus A. Hess, who served as President of the German-Namibian Society (DNG) from 1982 to 2023, is now its Honorary President. For decades, he has been committed to fostering relations between Germany and Namibia. His publishing house produces the Namibiamagazin.
President of the German-Namibian Society (DNG)
Publisher
Jürgen Coße MP
Assessor
Jürgen Coße has been a member of the German Bundestag for the SPD parliamentary group since 2021, to which he previously belonged from 2016 to 2017. Since 2025, he has been a full member of the Committee on European Union Affairs and the Committee on Housing, Urban Development, Building and Local Government, as well as a deputy member of the Foreign Affairs Committee. He is also his parliamentary group’s spokesperson on local government policy. Since this legislative period, he has chaired the SPD parliamentary group’s Africa discussion group.
Udo Hahn
Assessor
Udo Hahn is Director of the Protestant Academy Tutzing on Lake Starnberg and Chairman of the Board of the Association of Protestant Academies in Germany. Previously, the Protestant theologian, pastor and publicist had been Head of the Media and Journalism Department of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) since 2005.
Markus Koob MP
Assessor
Markus Koob has been a CDU member of the German Bundestag since 2013. He is a full member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a deputy member of the Committee for Education, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth. Since 2025, he is leading the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s Africa working group.
Sabine Odhiambo
Assessor
Sabine Odhiambo lived in Nairobi for eight years and developed into a specialist for the East African region. In addition to various Kenyan NGOs, she also worked for the Goethe Institute as well as the German Embassy. Having already led the Foundation on an interim basis and served as Deputy Secretary General, she has been Secretary General of the German Africa Foundation since 2022.
Sabine Odhiambo
Assessor
Sabine Odhiambo lived in Nairobi for eight years and developed into a specialist for the East African region. In addition to various Kenyan NGOs, she also worked for the Goethe Institute as well as the German Embassy. Having already led the Foundation on an interim basis and served as Deputy Secretary General, she has been Secretary General of the German Africa Foundation since 2022.
Secretary General, German Africa Foundation
Deputy Secretary General, German Africa Foundation
Acting Director, German Africa Foundation
Scientific Advisor, German Africa Foundation
German Embassy Nairobi, Kenya
Goethe Institut Nairobi, Kenya
Kenyan NGOs, Nairobi, Kenya
Magister Politikwissenschaft und Afrikanistik, Universität Leipzig
Magister Politikwissenschaft, Afrikanistik und Islamwissenschaft, Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Bonn
Stefan Rouenhoff MP
Assessor
Stefan Rouenhoff has been Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy since 2025. Prior to this, he was a member of the Economic Affairs Committee and head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s Africa working group. Before being elected to the Bundestag (member since 2027), he was Commercial Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Germany to the European Union for three years.
Stefan Rouenhoff MP
Assessor
Stefan Rouenhoff has been Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy since 2025. Prior to this, he was a member of the Economic Affairs Committee and head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s Africa working group. Before being elected to the Bundestag (member since 2027), he was Commercial Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Germany to the European Union for three years.
State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
Directly elected Member of the German Bundestag for the district of Kleve
Commercial Attaché at the Permanent Representation of Germany to the European Union
Spokesperson of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
Consultant for SME Policy at the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology
Heiko Schwiderowski
Assessor
Heiko Schwiderowski is head of the Africa department and the African expert of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerc (DIHK). The creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area is of particular concern to him. He stayed in Namibia for several years.
Heiko Schwiderowski
Assessor
Heiko Schwiderowski is head of the Africa department and the African expert of the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerc (DIHK). The creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area is of particular concern to him. He stayed in Namibia for several years.
Leiter des Büros der Deutschen Industrie- und Handelskammer (DIHK)-Präsidenten Dr. Eric Schweitzer
Leiter des Referats Grundsatzfragen der Außenwirtschaft, Außenwirtschaftsförderung und Entwicklungspolitik der Deutscher Industrie- und Handelskammer (DIHK)
Leiter des Referats Afrika Südlich der Sahara und Entwicklungspolitik der Deutschen Industrie- und Handelskammer (DIHK)
Awet Tesfaiesus MP
Assessor
Awet Tesfaiesus has been a member of the German Bundestag for the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen parliamentary group since 2021. She is chairwoman of the Committee on Culture and Media, a full member of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection, and a deputy member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Subcommittee on Foreign Cultural and Educational Policy. She is also chairwoman of the Southern Africa Parliamentary Group.
Derya Türk-Nachbauer MP
Assessor
Derya Türk-Nachbaur has been a member of the Bundestag for the SPD parliamentary group since 2021 and has also been the parliamentary secretary of her parliamentary group since 2025. Since this legislative period, she has been a member of the Bundestag’s Council of Elders, a full member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a deputy member of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid.
Nicolas Zippelius MP
Assessor
Nicolas Zippelius has been a member of the German Bundestag for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group since 2021. Since 2023, he has been an assessor on the state executive committee of the CDU in Baden-Württemberg. In the Bundestag, he is a full member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development. He is his parliamentary group’s spokesperson on development policy.
Sabine Odhiambo
Secretary General
Director of the office
E-mail: odhiambo@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 29
Sabine Odhiambo
Secretary General
Director of the office
E-mail: odhiambo@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 29
Secretary General, German Africa Foundation
Deputy Secretary General, German Africa Foundation
Acting Director, German Africa Foundation
Scientific Advisor, German Africa Foundation
German Embassy Nairobi, Kenya
Goethe Institut Nairobi, Kenya
Kenyan NGOs, Nairobi, Kenya
Magister in Political Science and African Studies, University of Leipzig
Magister in Political Science, African Studies and Islamic Studies, Friedrich-Wilhelms University, Bonn
Larissa Pflüger
Scientific Advisor
Regional Advisor for Southern Africa (SADC region); Political Communication and Public Relations.
E-mail: pflueger@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 28
Larissa Pflüger
Scientific Advisor
Regional Advisor for Southern Africa (SADC region); Political Communication and Public Relations.
E-mail: pflueger@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 28
Scientific advisor, German Africa Foundation
Botswana Centre for Public Integrity (volunteer), Gaborone, Botswana
Master International Studies/ Peace and Conflict Studies, Goethe-Universität, Frankfurt a.M.
Bachelor Political Science and Management, University of Erfurt
HOPE Cape Town, Kapstadt, Südafrika
Svenja Schindelwig
Scientific Advisor
Regional Advisor for Francophone West and Central Africa, excluding the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
E-mail: schindelwig@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 11 66
Svenja Schindelwig
Scientific Advisor
Regional Advisor for Francophone West and Central Africa, excluding the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
E-mail: schindelwig@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 11 66
Scientific advisor, German Africa Foundation
Diploma in French Studies, Free University, Berlin
Ellen Wiesbrock
Scientific Advisor
Regional Advisor for East Africa, as well as for Ghana and Nigeria.
E-mail: wiesbrock@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 87 43 30
Ellen Wiesbrock
Scientific Advisor
Regional Advisor for East Africa, as well as for Ghana and Nigeria.
E-mail: wiesbrock@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 87 43 30
Agnès Bel
Administration & Foreign Languages
E-mail: bel@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 27
Agnès Bel
Administration & Foreign Languages
E-mail: bel@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 27
Marcal Montserrat Morgades
Project Assistant
E-mail: team@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 27
Chancily Matinda
Project Assistant
E-mail: team@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 27
Raphael Mayr
Senior Project Manager
WIDU.africa
E-mail: mayr@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 1522 6383945
Bruno Wenn
Chairman
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Bruno Wenn
Chairman
Chairman European Development Finance Institutions
Spokesman of the Management Board of the Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft
Head of Africa Department, KfW Bankgruppe
Dr Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate
Member
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Dr Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate
Member
Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Founder Pactum Africanum
Established the Orbis Aethiopicus for the preservation and promotion of Ethiopian culture
Press Officer of the Düsseldorf Media Company
Founding of the first human rights organisation in Ethiopia: Council for Civil Liberties in Ethiopia
Dr Karamba Diaby
Member
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Dr Karamba Diaby
Member
Member of the parliamentary party executive of the SPD parliamentary group, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development and the Subcommittee on Global Health.
Integration Commissioner of the SPD Parliamentary Group and Member of the Parliamentary Group Executive Committee
Officer in the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs of the State of Saxony-Anhalt
City council in Halle an der Saale
Helmut Gauges
Member
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Helmut Gauges
Member
Member of the Business Unit Management
KfW Development Bank
Financial Cooperation with Africa
Prof Emeritus Robert Kappel
Member
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Prof Emeritus Robert Kappel
Member
President of the German Institute of Global and Area Studies (GIGA) in Hamburg and Professor at the University of Hamburg
Professor at the Institute for African Studies at the University of Leipzig and founder of the study program Small Enterprises and Training
Research Associate of the postgraduate programme Third World Studies at the University of Bremen
Volkmar Klein
Member
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Volkmar Klein
Member
Mitglied im Ausschuss für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung Entwicklungspolitischer Sprecher der CDU/CSU-Fraktion im Deutschen Bundestag Stellvertretendes Mitglied im Haushaltsausschuss Mitglied des Aufsichtsrates der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)
Mitglied im Haushaltsausschuss und im Unterausschuss zu Fragen der Europäischen Union Entwicklungspolitischer Sprecher der CDU/CSU-Bundestagsfraktion
Egon Kochanke
Member
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Egon Kochanke
Member
Ambassador in Dar es Salaam, for Tanzania and the Comoros
Regional Representative for Sub-Saharan Africa and Sahel at the German Department of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador to Namibia in Windhoek
Assignments abroad and positions at the Federal Foreign Office
Dr Stefan Mair
Member
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Dr Stefan Mair
Member
Member of the Executive Board of the Federation of German Industries
Research Director at Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP)
Member of the SWP Institute Management
Research group leader of the SWP
Africa Consultant at the SWP
Dr Michael Rabbow
Member
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Dr Michael Rabbow
Member
Chairman of the GIZ Economic Advisory Board; Member of the Africa Advisory Board of the German Healthcare Partnership (GHP); Senior Advisor for E&P Focus Africa Consulting GmbH
Team Leader of Corporate Public Affairs at Boehringer Ingelheim
Chief Medical Officer for the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in Namibia
Marina Schuster
Mitglied
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Marina Schuster
Mitglied
Freelance political analyst and intercultural trainer
Member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe; Vice-Chairwoman of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights
Member of Parliament; Member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs and Chairwoman of the Committee for Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid
Johannes Singhammer
Member
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Johannes Singhammer
Member
Vizepräsident des Deutschen Bundestages
stellvertretender Fraktionsvorsitzender der CDU/CSU-Fraktion im Deutschen Bundestag für die Bereiche Gesundheit, Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz
Vorsitzender der AG Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend der CDU/CSU- Fraktion
Internships
We are looking for a dedicated intern (m/f/d) to join our team for a full-time (39 hours/week) internship of three months, starting on one of the following dates:
- 5 January 2026
- 2 March 2026
Your Tasks
- Media monitoring: Create our weekly DAS press review on news from and about Africa
- Content creation: Prepare content for our website and social media channels
- Event management: Support the team in the planning, preparation, realisation and follow-up of specialist events.
- Guest Relations: Be part of our team and accompany African guests during their stay.
- Committee meetings: Prepare important meetings of the foundation’s relevant committees.
- Research: Work on the preparation and realisation of appointments of the President or the office.
- German Africa Award: Work on the organisation of the German Africa Award.
Requirements
- Advanced German language skills (minimum B2-Level).
- Enrolment at a university.
- Strong interest in the political field of Africa and German Africa policy
- Solid knowledge of written and spoken English, knowledge of French is an advantage.
- Confident handling of MS Office; knowledge of WordPress and Mailchimp is an advantage.
- Independent working style and high level of initiative.
- Ability to work in a team and enjoy collaborating in an international environment.
We offer:
- Insights into the exciting world of German Africa policy.
- Responsibility and the opportunity to contribute your own ideas.
- A dynamic team with flat hierarchies and an open working atmosphere.
- A salary of 450 euros per month.
Are you interested? Then send us your detailed application (cover letter in German, CV, certificates, certificate of enrolment and details of the specific internship period) to Larissa Pflueger (bewerbung@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de).
Applications from people with different backgrounds are expressly welcome.