Wadephul focuses on economy and security on Africa trip

Nigeria as energy power in focus

Nigeria is Africa's most populous country with more than 240 million inhabitants and at the same time one of the largest internal markets on the continent. The country is Africa's largest oil producer and generates a large part of its revenue from the export of crude oil. In June, 25 percent of kerosene deliveries to Europe came from Nigeria. Against this backdrop, Wadephul described Nigeria as an important partner for diversifying energy sources, particularly in view of supply bottlenecks caused by the Iran war in the Strait of Hormuz.

Economic relations are already close: Around 80 German companies are currently represented in Nigeria. A German-Nigerian energy partnership under the leadership of the Federal Foreign Office has existed since 2008; in 2022, a German-Nigerian hydrogen office was opened in Abuja. Nigeria is Germany's second most important trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa. At the same time, China is an important bilateral trading partner of Nigeria with growing investments in infrastructure, mining, mobile communications and armaments.

Security and Sahel initiative

In addition to the economy, security policy was a focus. Wadephul announced that he wanted to expand relations with Nigeria as the leading power in West Africa. Planned activities include a visit to the secretariat of the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS in Abuja. Germany is pursuing intensified security cooperation with Mauritania and Nigeria, according to the ministry, in order to prevent larger refugee movements toward Europe.

In Mauritania, Wadephul had met Mauritanian Foreign Minister Mohamed Salem Ould Merzoug the previous day in Nouakchott. At the press conference, Wadephul said: "Wir haben entschieden, dass die Bundeswehr nächstes Jahr hier beratend tätig werden soll, das wird vom Verteidigungsministerium vorbereitet." For Wadephul, the country is a "Stabilitätsanker in der Region".

Mauritania is considered a comparatively stable democracy with a Muslim character and, unlike many other countries in the Sahel zone, has been spared terrorist attacks for years. It is the most important transit country on the Atlantic route to Europe. German support for Mauritania currently amounts to 275 million euros. The German government recently classified the country as a "zentraler Partner der deutschen Entwicklungszusammenarbeit in der Sahelzone".

Mauritania as anchor of stability

In talks with Merzoug, Wadephul also announced a joint foreign policy initiative for the Sahel zone. Both countries would have an unburdened relationship with the states of the Sahel and therefore hoped for open ears, according to Wadephul. His Mauritanian counterpart sees potential for closer cooperation above all in renewable energies, especially green hydrogen, as well as in the expansion of infrastructure.

In Mauritania, Wadephul visited a UN office for crime prevention and spoke there with women engaged in prevention work against extremism. "Sie erzählen ihm, wie sie als Familienvorstände andere Familien besuchen und bei der Extremismus-Bekämpfung helfen", the delegation said. Wadephul said: "Das nehme ich mit nach Deutschland und sage, so etwas sollen wir unterstützen." Merzoug also expressed a desire for closer cooperation in the security sector.

More than 300,000 people have fled from Mali to Mauritania in recent years. Mauritania has important raw materials and liquefied gas reserves. It has been a good 20 years since a German foreign minister visited Mauritania.

Economy and visas in the sign of new partnerships

Looking ahead to the next day of the trip, Wadephul said: "Aber hier muss die Bundesregierung insgesamt die Anstrengungen verstärken." He called on the German economy to be more flexible: "Alle müssen sich bewegen, alle müssen flexibler werden, und das gilt auch für die deutsche Wirtschaft." The Federal Foreign Office also wants to advance digitalization in the visa area and make procedures more flexible. Wadephul once again advocated stronger investments by German and European companies in Africa and warned: "Wer heute nicht in Afrika präsent ist, der riskiert, entscheidende Chancen zu verpassen."

It is Wadephul's third Africa trip this year, following stops in Morocco in April and in Kenya and Ethiopia in January. The trip is set against the backdrop of the protectionist trade and tariff policy of US President Donald Trump: The German government is searching worldwide for new economic partners. Wadephul described South Africa as a "zentraler Ankerpunkt" and, with around 600 German companies, as by far the most important trading partner in Africa. As a committed advocate of multilateralism and the only African G20 member, South Africa is of particular significance.