German Africa Award
Since 1993, the German Africa Foundation (DAS) has been honouring outstanding personalities of the African continent who have made a special contribution to democracy, peace, human rights, sustainable development, environment, scientific research, art and culture or the social concerns in Africa with the German Africa Award. With this award, we aim to raise public awareness and interest in new developments in Africa and to contribute to a differentiated image of Africa. At the same time, by awarding the German Africa Award, the DAS also promotes a nuanced perception of the neighbouring continent.
The award winners are selected by an independent jury, which consists of around 20 representatives of the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the heads of the Africa departments of the political foundations as well as other personalities who are particularly committed to German-African relations. The jury selects from a number of proposals submitted by German embassies, the foreign offices of the political foundations as well as business associations and chambers of foreign trade on the African continent. The German Africa Award is usually presented at a festive ceremony with around 300 guests from politics, business and society in Berlin. The award is presented by high-ranking German politicians, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (2022), Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (2020), German Chancellor Dr Angela Merkel (2019) and President of the German Bundestag Dr Wolfgang Schäuble (2018). The award ceremony is accompanied by our media partner Deutsche Welle and also receives strong media attention on the African continent.
Honorary Award of the German Africa Foundation
With the Honorary Award of the German Africa Foundation, the foundation has been honouring German and African personalities since 2019 who have made a significant contribution to a more differentiated image of Africa and cultural exchange between Germany and the neighbouring continent.
The award winners are selected each year by the Board of the German Africa Foundation.