September 16, 2025
With Hannover Messe 2026 less than a year away, anticipation is building for Brazil’s role as the official Partner Country of the world’s leading industrial trade fair. First announced in 2024, the partnership is now moving into the spotlight as Germany and Brazil prepare to showcase a shared agenda of industrial transformation, renewable energy, and digitization.
The partnership is more than symbolic. It signals Berlin’s growing commitment to deepen economic and political ties with Latin America at a time when Europe is actively seeking diversified supply chains, sustainable resources, and new trade alliances. Brazil’s leadership in renewable energy, bioeconomy, and advanced manufacturing makes it a key partner in shaping a green and resilient industrial future.
For Berlin’s diplomatic community, Hannover Messe 2026 is not just a business fair it’s a stage for global economic diplomacy, where innovation meets policy, and where Brazil’s growing role as a strategic partner for Germany and Europe will be on full display.
The German Bundestag has finalized the leadership of its international parliamentary friendship groups, key forums for maintaining dialogue with foreign legislatures. The new appointments, agreed upon by all parliamentary factions, are seen as an important signal for Germany’s approach to bilateral relations in the coming legislative period.
According to information obtained by Deutschlandfunk, the CDU/CSU parliamentary group will now chair several high-profile committees, including the German-French, German-Polish, and German-American parliamentary groups — a move likely to strengthen cooperation with Berlin’s most influential allies.
The Social Democratic Party (SPD) will lead the German-Israeli and German-British groups, reflecting the party’s emphasis on historical responsibility and transatlantic engagement.
In a move drawing attention both at home and abroad, the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) will preside over the German-Chinese, German-Indian, and German-Austrian groups. These assignments come at a time of heightened geopolitical tension and ongoing debates in Berlin about how to balance economic interests with democratic values in relations with Beijing and New Delhi.
Parliamentary friendship groups are cross-party bodies that facilitate informal diplomacy, foster dialogue, and deepen mutual understanding between Germany and partner countries. Their activities often include delegation visits, policy discussions, and cultural exchanges.
The new chairs will be expected to play a pivotal role in shaping Germany’s parliamentary diplomacy a quiet but influential part of the country’s foreign policy machinery. Diplomats, lobbyists, and international observers will be watching closely how these groups navigate a rapidly shifting global order.
The Japanese Ambassador to Germany, Mitsuko Shino, recently visited the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) to discuss crucial issues at the intersection of demographics, skilled labor, and German–Japanese cooperation.
During her visit, Ambassador Shino emphasized the importance of fostering bilateral collaboration to address mutual challenges posed by aging populations and evolving labor markets. She also highlighted Japan’s commitment to supporting Germany’s strategic priorities in employment policy and workforce integration.
The visit signals a deepening of ties between the two countries beyond traditional economic diplomacy focusing instead on shared social and demographic strategies. Discussions covered potential cooperation in areas such as professional training exchange, worker qualification programs, and long-term strategies to ensure economic sustainability.
This high-level engagement underscores Japan’s role as a committed partner in German social policy and reflects growing interest in combining expertise to tackle demographic and labor-related challenges.
Monday, 21 July 2025
The Embassies of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg will once again join the Christopher Street Day Berlin parade, taking part with their own vehicle on Saturday, 26 July 2025. This year’s CSD carries the motto „Never Silent Again!“, standing in solidarity with the queer community and advocating for equal rights and visibility.
The parade is set to begin around midday at Leipziger Straße (near Spittelmarkt/Charlottenstraße) and will follow a route through central Berlin, ending at Urania.
Friday, 18 July 2025
Moustapha Ndour has formally assumed the role of Senegal’s ambassador to Germany, presenting his credentials to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier at Schloss Bellevue on July 18. Ndour succeeds Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Sall, who held the post since August 2018.
Before his current assignment in Berlin, Moustapha Ndour served as Senegal’s ambassador to both Mali and Mauritania, and played a significant role in the professional development of future diplomats as an advisor at Senegal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, overseeing training at the Ecole nationale d’Administration. His diplomatic tenure highlights experience in regional affairs and diplomatic education, strengthening Senegal’s foreign service.
The appointment comes at a time of robust and friendly bilateral relations between Germany and Senegal. The two nations maintain active political, economic, and development cooperation partnerships. Recent years have seen cooperation in economic reform initiatives, climate and energy projects, education, and culture. Notably, Germany supports major development efforts in Senegal, including the Just Energy Transition Partnership agreed in 2023 and ongoing collaboration to promote investment, vocational training, and health innovation.