Turkish
Italian
Spanish
Portuguese
Romanian
Albanian
Lithuanian
Latvian
Bulgarian
Greek
Hungarian
French
Croatian
Czech
Steinmeier Africa visit: launch in Egypt
The itinerary opens in Cairo with the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, where more than 100,000 antiquities will be displayed, including the full Tutankhamun collection for the first time. After the ceremonial opening, the German president is scheduled to meet Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi for discussions that focus on the Gaza Strip and the fragile pause in fighting between Israel and Hamas. The combination of cultural diplomacy and high-stakes diplomacy sets the tone for a trip that mixes symbolism with concrete policy goals.
Berlin views Egypt as a key regional partner and a growing hub for German corporate activity. A business delegation accompanies the president, reflecting strong interest from German firms across infrastructure, rail, digitization, and industrial sectors. Trade representatives describe Egypt as one of the few African markets where German companies operate at scale across multiple sectors, with increasing numbers selecting the country as an investment base for North Africa and the Middle East.
Security talks and the Gaza ceasefire
Security discussions in Cairo are expected to cover the future of Gaza, humanitarian access, and the conditions for a more durable halt to hostilities. The leadership in Berlin has relied on Egyptian mediation in previous escalation cycles, and that role is set to remain central. In parallel with the cultural program at the Grand Egyptian Museum, the meeting with al-Sisi is designed to gather regional assessments and explore how European partners can support de-escalation steps.
These conversations provide a backdrop for the rest of the tour. The Steinmeier Africa visit links security and economic themes, underlining a view in Berlin that sustainable cooperation requires both investment and conflict-management channels. The presence of business leaders on the trip adds a second track of discussion, focused on energy, logistics, and manufacturing projects that are sensitive to regional stability.
Economic aims and the Compact with Africa
Germany is advancing its engagement through the G20 Compact with Africa, an initiative launched in 2017 under the German G20 presidency to improve investment conditions in reform-oriented countries. Egypt and Ghana are both CwA partners, and the program has led to more favorable export credit risk categories for participating states. German and multilateral efforts now include a new G20 Compact with Africa Trust Fund, supported by Germany and the World Bank, with the goal of accelerating infrastructure development, training skilled workers, and backing sustainable growth.
Officials and analysts agree that progress is real but uneven. In Ghana, reforms in banking and company registration aim to stabilize the financial system and reduce barriers to entrepreneurship, yet structural constraints remain. High public debt, fiscal deficits, and currency volatility complicate long-term planning for investors. Concerns also persist about bureaucracy, corruption, and enforcement. The Steinmeier Africa visit is intended to acknowledge reforms, encourage further steps, and align private-sector interest with practical risk mitigation. WeLiveIn.de is not a tax advisor.
Steinmeier Africa visit: Ghana’s agenda and partnerships
Accra is the second stop, with a meeting scheduled with President John Dramani Mahama, who took office in January after a December election. Mahama’s administration has promoted a “24-hour economy” concept to expand services and manufacturing capacity around the clock. Germany identifies several cooperation fields in Ghana, including renewable energy, good governance initiatives, and anti-corruption efforts, which remain central to development partnerships.
Ghana’s export profile to Germany is diverse, led by cocoa and joined by fruit, rubber, and various ores. A notable pillar of bilateral cooperation is vaccine production. Germany and the European Union support Ghana’s positioning as a West African center for the production of vaccines and medicines. This program targets job creation, technology transfer, and health resilience. The Steinmeier Africa visit also spotlights Ghana’s startup scene, with planned meetings with founders to discuss innovations in energy, health, and fintech. Stakeholders describe Ghana as structurally stronger due to reforms associated with the Compact with Africa, while also acknowledging the need for greater investment momentum to meet the country’s ambitious growth targets.
Steinmeier Africa visit: Angola, Lobito Corridor, and AU role
From 5 to 7 November, the tour moves to Angola, marking the first time a German federal president has visited the country. The stop recognizes Angola’s 50th year of independence and its current rotating presidency of the African Union. Berlin sees Luanda as a rising regional actor whose voice matters on security, from the Democratic Republic of Congo to broader AU-led mediation efforts. Angola’s president, João Lourenço, has been active in attempts to ease tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, a portfolio that continues to draw international attention.
Economic diversification is a priority in Angola, with policy steps to move beyond oil dependence. German companies have engaged in green hydrogen projects, hydroelectric power development, and infrastructure, health, and agriculture initiatives. A strategic transport focus is the Lobito Corridor, centered on the Benguela Railway, designed to facilitate copper exports from southern Congo to the Atlantic. The Steinmeier Africa visit is expected to explore how German expertise in rail, energy systems, and industrial services can support Angola’s plans, and whether Luanda could be a candidate for future rounds of the Compact with Africa.
Opportunities and risks for German business
Business representatives on the trip see three broad opportunities. The first is large-scale infrastructure, including rail modernization and energy grids, where German engineering has a strong reputation. The second is clean energy, where green hydrogen and hydropower align with European decarbonization goals and Africa’s resource potential. The third is health manufacturing, especially vaccines and essential medicines, with Ghana emerging as a pilot hub. Across these sectors, local partnerships and workforce development are key to durability.
Risks are equally clear. Currency instability can erase margins, and high debt burdens limit public investment capacity. Administrative obstacles and legal uncertainty raise compliance costs. For these reasons, blended finance, export credit guarantees, and multilateral trust funds feature prominently in briefings for the Steinmeier Africa visit. Companies are advised to plan for longer lead times, robust local due diligence, and phased commitments that match policy progress on the ground. WeLiveIn.de is not a tax advisor.
How this trip fits Germany–Africa ties
The German president has made nine trips to Sub-Saharan Africa during his term and now begins his tenth with the Steinmeier Africa visit to Egypt, Ghana, and Angola. At Schloss Bellevue, he recently addressed alumni and partners of the “Afrika kommt!” program, praising the technical and managerial talent emerging from Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Botswana, the DRC, and Malawi. The message from Berlin emphasizes open markets, free trade, and more cooperation rather than less, even in a period marked by global shocks and regional conflicts.
Cultural and educational exchanges match the economic agenda. Alumni of “Afrika kommt!” often maintain relationships with German partner companies or launch their own firms that later work with German technologies. During the Steinmeier Africa visit, this long-term approach is visible in plans to link startups, training, and industrial projects. The approach seeks to make bilateral ties more resilient by investing in people, not only projects.
What expats in Germany should watch
For expats based in Germany and connected to Egypt, Ghana, or Angola, this trip may affect business and professional opportunities. New frameworks under the Compact with Africa and the associated trust fund can open procurement windows, training programs, or research partnerships. Health sector professionals should monitor the vaccine manufacturing initiative in Ghana for roles in technology transfer, quality assurance, logistics, and regulatory work. Engineers and project managers should track rail and energy tenders related to Egypt’s infrastructure expansion and Angola’s Lobito Corridor.
Expats working in finance, compliance, or trade facilitation should follow any updates to export credit guarantees and risk classifications. If announcements during the Steinmeier Africa visit lead to pilot programs or feasibility studies, documents will specify local partners and selection criteria. Professionals with language skills and regional experience will be well placed to participate. WeLiveIn.de is not a tax advisor.
Method and sources
This report synthesizes information from a detailed analysis by Deutsche Welle on the president’s Africa tour and the Compact with Africa framework, a German public radio news brief dated 1 November 2025 outlining the itinerary and security agenda, and a speech published by the German Federal Presidency describing long-term engagement with “Afrika kommt!” and the start of the tenth Africa journey.
What this means for residents
The itinerary links cultural events with targeted policy discussions and business outreach. The Cairo launch underscores Egypt’s central role in both diplomacy and investment, Accra highlights reform and health manufacturing, and Luanda expands the conversation to transport corridors and energy diversification. If the Steinmeier Africa visit delivers new risk-sharing tools and clearer project pipelines, more German and European firms may consider medium-term commitments in African markets. For residents and expats who work across these sectors, the developments to watch are concrete procurement steps, training opportunities, and regulatory announcements that signal where the next phase of cooperation will begin.
