According to statistics from the German Bundesbank, there were fewer than a thousand German companies that invested directly in Africa in 2019. Africa’s share of German exports is 1.8%; only 1% of German exports go to sub-Saharan Africa. German companies, which are basically very export-oriented, are thus underrepresented on the African continent.

While politicians have tried in recent years to contribute to more German investment in Africa with initiatives such as the Compact with Africa, one aspect has so far been rather neglected both in practice and in research: the involvement of the African diaspora in the internationalisation of German companies on the African continent. What role can the African diaspora play here and what role does it already play? How can it successfully support the activities of German companies in Africa? And what political support mechanisms are necessary for this?

To answer these questions, the German Africa Foundation commissioned the study “The Role of the Diaspora in the Internationalisation of German Companies in Africa”. In this issue of Afrikapost aktuell, the most important results and political recommendations for action are summarised for you.

The full version of the study in German can be downloaded. The full English version will be available here soon, too.