BERLIN (XOL Africa) — German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul is embarking on a three-nation tour of Mauritania, Nigeria and South Africa aimed at strengthening political, economic and security cooperation with key African partners amid growing geopolitical tensions and increasing competition for critical resources.
Ahead of his departure on Monday, Wadephul said Germany viewed Africa as an indispensable partner in promoting regional stability, expanding trade and addressing shared challenges ranging from terrorism and migration to climate change and energy security.
“Europe and Africa are united by more than just geographical proximity. Our continents are linked by close political, economic and security ties,” Wadephul said in a statement.
“In times of global geopolitical upheaval, reliable cooperation with our African partners is particularly important.”
The visit marks Wadephul’s third trip to Africa in recent months and underscores Berlin’s effort to deepen engagement with strategically important countries across the continent.
In Mauritania, Wadephul is expected to focus on regional security and renewable energy cooperation, particularly green hydrogen development.
Describing Mauritania as “a stable country in an otherwise highly fragile region,” the minister said the country plays an important role as the Sahel continues to grapple with insecurity and humanitarian crises.
“Germany stands ready to provide even greater support,” he said, adding that stability in the Sahel serves both African and European interests.
The second leg of the tour will take Wadephul to Nigeria, which he described as Africa’s most populous country, its largest domestic market and Germany’s second-largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa.
He said Berlin intends to expand commercial ties and encourage more German companies to invest in Nigeria while strengthening cooperation on regional security.
“We want to continue to tap this mutual potential and encourage more German enterprises to take the step to become active in Nigeria,” Wadephul said.
The minister also highlighted Nigeria’s influence in West Africa through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), describing the country as a regional political leader committed to a rules-based international order.
He said growing insecurity across the Sahel has increasingly affected coastal West African nations, making closer security cooperation with Nigeria a priority.
The final stop will be South Africa, Germany’s largest trading partner on the continent and a country Berlin recently elevated to a Strategic Partnership.
“Our common basis of shared democratic values is a particular uniting factor for us,” Wadephul said.
He noted that nearly 600 German companies operate in South Africa and identified energy and critical raw materials as sectors offering significant opportunities for expanded cooperation.
The minister said discussions would also focus on strengthening foreign policy dialogue, pointing to South Africa’s influence as Africa’s only G20 member and a leading advocate for multilateral cooperation.
Throughout the trip, Wadephul said Germany would emphasize its commitment to open markets, reliable partnerships and international cooperation at a time when global trade restrictions and geopolitical tensions are challenging multilateral institutions.
“When crises, trade restrictions and global isolationist tendencies are testing the limits of international cooperation, it is down to us to forge even closer worldwide networks,” he said.
“Germany stands for international cooperation, economic openness and reliability.”
