Photo Credit: AfricaNewsAnalysis/AM
Bellevue Palace, Berlin
28 October 2025
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier today welcomed scholarship holders under the programme “Africa is Coming” to the Presidential Palace in Berlin.
The programme, an initiative of the Berlin Chamber of Industry and Commerce, offers young African talents the opportunity to work in Germany and gain practical experience.
Thirty-seven young professionals and managers from eight African countries participated in the programme, two-thirds of them are women. They are from Botswana, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo(DRC), Ethiopia, Malawi, Ghana, Kenya and Zimbabwe.
Photo Credit: AfricaNewsAnalysis/AM
Speaking at the ceremony, President Steinmeier stressed that “Africa has been here for a long time!” and reminded the scholarship holders that “you are indispensable partners for German companies.,”
He described them as confident, strong and indispensable partners not only for German companies, but also for Germany and Europe.
President Steinmeier observed that the reception has a long tradition, “but it’s never routine”, because of the diversity of the group of scholarship holders, “each one composed of unique individuals.”
Photo Credit: AfricaNewsAnalysis/AM
The young African professionals exhibiting outstanding talents from future-oriented industries such as pharmaceuticals, medicine, biotechnology, energy and industrial engineering, IT and credit.
“And whether you are a researcher, engineer, or manager, you are all not only achieving extraordinary things in your home countries – to climate-friendly growth, to prosperity and well-being, to a self-determined life today and tomorrow,” President Steinmeier told the participants.
“Dear scholarship holders, whatever you plan to do now: you are all a benefit. You are a benefit to your home countries because you are contributing to better healthcare, technological progress, or ecological growth. You are a benefit to your German partner companies, who benefit from your expertise and your local networks. And, last but not least, you are a benefit to the relations between our countries!
“Dear scholarship holders, whatever you plan to do now: you are all a benefit. You are a benefit to your home countries because you are contributing to better healthcare, technological progress, or ecological growth. You are a benefit to your German partner companies, who benefit from your expertise and your local networks,” adding that “you are a benefit to the relations between our countries!”
President Steinmeier stressed the need to further deepen the economic, cultural and social exchange between Germany and African countries “to create greater prosperity and well-being for all”, and to make the European-African friendship “fit for the future.”
To make this come to fruition, the German President called for the support from politics, business and the society stressing that German companies, many of which have shown commitment to “Africa is Coming” for many years were setting a good example.
President Steinmeier urged the scholarship holders to continue on the path they have embarked upon to build new bridges and strengthen what united the peoples of Europe and Africa.