3 October 2017: Day of German Unity and 30 Years of German-East African Partnership

Yesterday, 3 October 2017, Germans all over the world celebrated a nationwide holiday – Day of German Unity. It marks the day when two nations (previously divided for 40 years) reunited to become one German nation.

In 1990 the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) united with the Democratic Republic of Germany (East Germany). West Germany was previously formed by allies on 3 May 1949 – the United Kingdom, USA, and France. The other sector, East Germany, was previously under the Soviet Union. On 4 September 1989, the peaceful protest in Leipzig against the government in East Germany led to national protests over the next two months and eventually the ‘’fall of the wall’’ – the wall that divided the two parts. The fall of the wall led to elections on 18 March 1990 paving the way for reunification.

In East Africa, yesterday was the celebration of 30 Years of German-East African Business Partnerships. Germany was the first country to recognise Kenya’s independence in 1963. In 1987 the German Business Association (GBA) was founded in Kenya. GBA currently has 150 listed German companies in East Africa, celebrating 30 years of business partnerships.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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