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 has been committed to promoting German-African relations for 40 years. On 10 May 1978, the Foundation was founded as a member 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 support 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 policy issues.

Under the chairmanship of Karl-Heinz Hornhues (CDU), Member of the German Bundestag, the Foundation underwent a reorientation and increasingly positioned itself non-partisan: 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, in 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 in Parliament. This is also reflected in the current composition of the board, which includes the foreign and development policy spokespersons from the CDU/CSU, SPD, BĂĽndnis 90/Die GrĂĽnen, FDP and DIE LINKE as well as non-parliamentarians interested in Africa.

Our Board

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.

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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.

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Alois Karl

Vice-President

Alois Karl was a member of Parliament from 2005 to 2021. Here, he was, amongst other post, member of the Budget Committee and the Committee for Human Rights. Before joing the German Bundestag, he was the Mayor of Neumarkt i.d.OPf. As a mountaineer, he climbed the Kilimanjaro.

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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.

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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.

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Klaus A. Hess

Legal Adviser

As President of the German-Namibian Society, the publisher and journalist Klaus A. Hess promotes relations between Germany and Namibia, a country he has known for decades. His publishing house publishes the Namibiamagazin.

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Dr. Karamba Diaby, MP

Assessor

Dr Karamba Diaby is a member of executive board of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag. Furthermore, he is a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development and the Subcommittee on Global Health.

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Dr Volker Faigle

Assessor

Dr Volker Faigle worked as a Protestant pastor in Kenya for six years and was Africa advisor of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) for 13 years. Today he is the Sudan and South Sudan representative of the EKD and works as an ecumenical adviser for South Africa.

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Dr forest Christoph Hoffmann, MP

Assessor

Dr forest Christoph Hoffmann is a forestry scientist, Member of the German Bundestag of the FPD parliamentary group and acting Chairman of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development.

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Volkmar Klein, MP

Assessor

Volkmar Klein is the development policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag. In his private capacity, he is involved in the implementation of projects in Ghana.

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Andreas Lämmel

Assessor

Andreas Lämmel was chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group’s working group Africa from 2013 to 2021. He regularly travels to Africa and passionately committed to promote German investments in Africa.

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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.

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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.

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Kordula Schulz-Asche, MP

Assessor

Kordula Schulz-Asche is Chair of the parliamentary friendship groupe East Africa, lived in various African countries for 13 years and worked for the Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂĽr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), among others.

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Dr Wolfgang Stefinger, MP

Assessor

Dr Wolfgang Stefinger is a group coordinator 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 Eastern Africa.

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Jessica Tatti, MP

Assessor

Jessica Tatti has been a member of the German Bundestag for the parliamentary group DIE LINKE since 2017 and is deputy chair of the parliamentary friendship group West Africa. Tatti is also Parliamentary Secretary and Spokesperson for Labour Market and Social Policy for the parliamentary group DIE LINKE.

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Gabi Weber

Assesor

Gabi Weber was Deputy Chair of the parliamentary friendship group on Eastern Africa in the German Bundestag. Gender equality in development cooperation and the advancement of women on the African continent are important concerns for her.

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Our Team

Sabine Odhiambo

Secretary General

For eight years Sabine Odhiambo lived in Nairobi and became a specialist for the East African region. In addition to working for various Kenyan NGOs, she has also held positions for the Goethe Institute and 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.

E-mail: odhiambo@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 29

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Silke Degen

Scientific Advisor

Silke Degen has several years of experience in development cooperation and humanitarian aid as well as in public affairs. At the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, she was responsible, among other things, for the Africa portfolio in the area of crisis management and reconstruction. Private travels have taken her to Morocco and Mauritius, among other places. She joined the DAS team at the beginning of 2022.

E-mail: degen@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 87 43 30

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Svenja Schindelwig

Scientific Advisor

In her dissertation Svenja Schindelwig focused on the repression of the Algerian war as a topic within French society. She has been working for the DAS for eight years now and has established herself as an institutional memory over time.

E-mail: schindelwig@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 11 66

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Larissa PflĂĽger

Scientific Advisor

Larissa PflĂĽger is our expert for Southern Africa – several stays abroad took her to South Africa, Botswana and Zimbabwe, among others. She worked for a year in Cape Town with an NGO in the field of HIV and is still active as a volunteer for the Botswana Centre for Public Integrity. She joined the DAS team in March 2020.

E-mail: pflueger@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 28

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Agnès Bel

Administration & Foreign Languages

From communication and journalism to sales, sports and project management, Agnes Bel has a very diverse background. She speaks French, English, German and Brazilian Portuguese.
In the past, she spent several months in Senegal and has also travelled to Kenya and North Africa. She joined the DAS team in April 2023.

E-mail: bel@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 27

 

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Dambisa Dube

Fellow German Chancellor Fellowship Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

Dambisa joined the DAS team as a fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Federal Chancellor Fellowship since October 2022. Her research project will explore the topic of youth engagement and participation comparatively in Germany and South Africa, specifically exploring the effects of digitalisation and what role is plays in shaping political discourse and activism of younger voices. The aim here is try to understand the cost of excluding or downplaying young people’s participation in a democracy and to draw up corresponding policy recommendations.

E-mail: dube@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de

Lea Engelbrecht

Project Assistant

E-mail: team@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 27

Roxy Röttgers

Project Assistant

E-mail: team@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de
Phone: +49 (0)30 28 09 47 27

Board of Trustees

Dr Prince Asfa-Wossen Asserate

Chairman

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Prof Emeritus Robert Kappel

Member

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Egon Kochanke

Member

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Robert von Lucius

Member

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Dr Stefan Mair

Member

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Dr Michael Rabbow

Member

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Marina Schuster

Member

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Dr. Johannes Singhammer

Mitglied

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Dr Dr h.c. Peter Spary

Member

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Tenders

Internships

We are looking for a full-time intern (m/f/d) to support our team for a period of 3 months. We are also pleased to receive applications for a later start of the internship. The following periods are currently on offer:

  • 10 July until 6 October 2023
  • 9 October 2023 until 5 January 2024
  • 6 November 2023 until 3 February 2024

 

Tasks

  • Collaboration in the planning, preparation, implementation and documentation of events
  • Supporting the team in looking after African visitors (groups)
  • Maintenance of the website and social media
  • Preparing a weekly press review with commentary on news about Africa
  • Preparation and supervision of foundation-relevant committee meetings
  • Representation of DAS e.V. at conferences and information events
  • Participation in the organisation of the German Africa Award

 

Requirements

  • Advanced German language skills (minimum B2-Level)
  • The internship will be completed during the course of studies
  • Solid knowledge of the English language is desirable, knowledge of French is an advantage
  • The curriculum vitae should have a recognisable reference to Africa
  • Special interest in the political field of Africa and German Africa policy
  • Solid computer skills

 

Remuneration, duration and working hours

The internship lasts three months in full-time (39 hours/week) and is remunerated with 450 Euro per month.

Please send your detailed application to Larissa Pflueger (bewerbung@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de), stating the possible duration of the internship. I will also be happy to answer any questions you may have.

contact details

Larissa PflĂĽger

Scientific Advisor

bewerbung@deutsche-afrika-stiftung.de