‘Will the Europe-Africa summit help heal the rifts?’
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The European Union is attempting to get closer ties with the African Union and the nations in Africa:
Will the Europe-Africa summit help heal the rifts?
15 February 2022
Four years after the last summit between the African Union and the European Union, leaders from both sides are to meet in Brussels from February 17 to 18. With relations strained, they’ll have a lot to talk about.
The European Commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, is leaving nothing to chance. A few days before the meeting between officials from the European Commission and the African Union, she flew to Dakar to personally clarify details with the Senegalese President and current AU chairperson, Macky Sall.
“Our two unions share the same vision of a common area of stability and prosperity. This summit must ascertain concrete ways and means to achieve it,” von der Leyen said after meeting Sall. Signaling Brussels’ goodwill, she added that the EU would mobilize €150 billion ($170 billion) over the next few years to help develop African infrastructure.
The EU needs the meeting to be successful because relations with the African Union have been frayed for a long time. …
Economist Carlos Lopes from the University of Cape Town explained …. “We are still living a colonial model, where Africans are only exporters of commodities that are not transformed. There is a lot of frustration that pushes Africa to look for new partnerships that contribute to the industrialization of the continent,” he told DW. China, Russia and Turkey have accordingly expanded their influence in Africa.
“Of course we have differences,” the website Politico quoted AU Commission chief Moussa Faki as saying after a meeting with von der Leyen in 2020. They ranged from international criminal justice to the issue of sexual orientation, the death penalty or AU’s role in African crises, Faki said at the time. The COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the situation. Many African leaders bitterly resent the lack of vaccines for even getting started on sufficiently inoculating their population, while Europe is already boosting its people. South Africa’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, called it “vaccine apartheid.”
The EU is countering these negative views through a charm offensive and a lot of paperwork. “African countries and the AU would prefer the current agendas to be implemented and completed. The EU has put more focus on developing new ideas and strategies. That has sometimes caused some tension in the relationship,” said analyst Keijzer. https://www.dw.com/en/will-the-europe-africa-summit-help-heal-the-rifts/a-60771179
Yes, the EU is interested in the commodities in Africa, as are the Chinese, Russians, and Turks. While all issues between the African Union and European Union are not about to be resolved, this meeting is another step for the EU to push its standards and attempt to increase its influence around the world.
China has been involved in building one or more ports in Africa as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. This has gotten serious attention from the EU.
Recently, the EU announced that its Global Gateway program, which is supposed to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative, as well as increase its influence in Africa.
Related to the EU effort, the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) put together the following video on our Bible News Prophecy YouTube channel:
EU’s Global Gateway, Trade, and War?
The European Union announced that it planned to spend €300 billion ($340 billion) in a program called ‘Global Gateway.’ According to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen it is a “true alternative” to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the Silk Road Project. Both the EU and Chinese projects will improve road, ports, and/or other infrastructure to connect with Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. Will this result in increased trade for Europe and Asia during the time of the Gentiles? Will Babylonian Europe dominate trade for a time? Will devastating war hit Europe with Russian and Eurasian involvement? Would infrastructure these projects are involved in be used for war? What about preparation for Armageddon? Dr. Thiel address these issues and cites biblical prophecies related to these matters.
Here is a link to our video: EU’s Global Gateway, Trade, and War?
As far as trade goes, back in 2019, there was a trade agreement in Africa:
Economic ‘Game Changer? African Leaders Launch Free-Trade Zone
July 7, 2019
NIAMEY – African leaders met on Sunday to launch a continental free-trade zone that if successful would unite 1.3 billion people, create a $3.4 trillion economic bloc and usher in a new era of development.
After four years of talks, an agreement to form a 55-nation trade bloc was reached in March, paving the way for Sunday’s African Union summit in Niger where attendees will unveil which
nation will host the trade zone’s headquarters, when trading will start and discuss how exactly it will work.It is hoped that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) — the largest since the creation of the World Trade Organization in 1994 — will help unlock Africa’s long-stymied economic potential by boosting intra-regional trade, strengthening supply chains and spreading expertise.
“The eyes of the world are turned to Africa,” Egyptian President and African Union Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said at the summit’s opening ceremony.
AfCFTA “will reinforce our negotiating position on the international stage. It will represent an important step.”
Africa has much catching up to do: its intra-regional trade accounted for just 17% of exports in 2017 versus 59% in Asia and 69% in Europe, and Africa has missed out on the economic booms
that other trade blocs have experienced in recent decades.Economists say significant challenges remain, including poor road and rail links, large areas of unrest, excessive border bureaucracy and petty corruption that have held back growth and
integration.Members have committed to eliminate tariffs on most goods, which will increase trade in the region by 15-25% in the medium term, but this would double if these other issues were dealt with, according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates.
The IMF in a May report described a free-trade zone as a potential “economic game changer” of the kind that has boosted growth in Europe and North America, but it added a note of caution.
“Reducing tariffs alone is not sufficient,” it said.
Divergent interests
Africa already has an alphabet soup of competing and overlapping trade zones — ECOWAS in the west, EAC in the east, SADC in the south and COMESA in the east and south.
But only the EAC, driven mainly by Kenya, has made significant progress towards a common market in goods and services. These regional economic communities (REC) will continue to trade among themselves as they do now. The role of AfCFTA is to liberalise trade among those member states that are not currently in the same REC, said Trudi Hartzenberg, director at Tralac, a South Africa-based trade law organization. https://www.voanews.com/africa/economic-game-changer-african-leaders-launch-free-trade-zone
To get agreement of 55 members of the African Union was a difficult process. Eritrea is reportedly the only African country not to be part of the trading bloc (https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-48899701).
It is hoped that this trade deal will result in more economic opportunity and less poverty in Africa.
That being said, it could also align with various prophecies as well as certain goals that the European have.
For example, in his September 2018 ‘State of the European Union’ speech, European Commission (EC) President Jean-Claude Juncker said that the EU must “become a more sovereign actor on the world stage.” Regarding Africa, he proposed a, “trade deal with Africa, to attract more private investment to the continent and create up to 10 million jobs” (see Juncker’s ‘State of the European Union’ address: Wants EU to be a real global player, including in Africa).
Furthermore, notice the following from December 2018 which shows very strong European interest in Africa from at least one EU leader, who was once the Dutch defence minister:
Named as the centre-left’s candidate for the next EU Commission President, Frans Timmermans announced he would crush conservative governments in Europe, insisting that the continent uniting with Africa is “a matter of destiny”.
Timmermans, who currently sits as the Commission’s first vice-president, was nominated to lead the Party of European Socialists (PES) in next May’s elections by delegates at the EU Parliament grouping’s annual congress in Lisbon …
Europe’s relationship with Africa was another major priority Timmermans outlined in his speech, telling delegates to be “under no illusion … it is a matter of destiny” that EU taxpayers eliminate the violence and poverty-plagued continent’s problems or else welcome the “hundreds of millions of people” from Nigeria alone who he has previously noted will be heading to the bloc as a result of its “demographic explosion”. …
“So, whose fate is going to be dealt with by whom: Europe’s fate by Africans, Africa’s fate by Europeans. We are in this together. Our destinies are linked,” he said, pledging to ensure developing the third world continent is “high on the agenda” because its population — which is set to more than double to 2.2 billion by 2050 — “is a common responsibility” for the entire bloc. https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2018/12/11/diverse-timmermans-nominated-eu-chief/
Yes, Africa’s destiny is to be more closely tied with Europe, for a time.
This is also consistent with history. In addition to European colonialism in Africa, understand that the old Roman Empire dominated not only the northern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea, but also the east and south–the south are in Africa. That will happen again (cf. Daniel 11:40-43).
With both Europe and Africa a bit more focused on trade, expect cooperation in certain areas.
Yet, there is corruption in both areas as well.
The Bible shows that a lying deal will be made between the future King of the North (a European-based power) and the King of the South (a northern African/Middle Eastern based power):
27 Both these kings’ hearts shall be bent on evil, and they shall speak lies at the same table; but it shall not prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time. (Daniel 11:27)
So, the destiny of part of Africa is to be temporarily aligned with Europe. This will not end well for the Africans per Daniel 11:40-43. Nor according to the following:
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Son of man, prophesy and say: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:
“‘Wail and say,
“Alas for that day!”
3 For the day is near,
the day of the LORD is near-
a day of clouds,
a time of doom for the nations.
4 A sword will come against Egypt,
and anguish will come upon Cush.
When the slain fall in Egypt,
her wealth will be carried away
and her foundations torn down.5 Cush and Put, Lydia and all Arabia, Libya and the people of the covenant land will fall by the sword along with Egypt.
6 “‘This is what the LORD says:
“‘The allies of Egypt will fall
and her proud strength will fail.
From Migdol to Aswan
they will fall by the sword within her,
declares the Sovereign LORD.7 “‘They will be desolate
among desolate lands,
and their cities will lie
among ruined cities.
8 Then they will know that I am the LORD,
when I set fire to Egypt
and all her helpers are crushed.9 “‘On that day messengers will go out from me in ships to frighten Cush out of her complacency. Anguish will take hold of them on the day of Egypt’s doom, for it is sure to come (Ezekiel 30:1-9, NIV).
The descendants of Cush, Put, Egypt, and Libya are African. More on northern Africa and the Middle East can be found in the article The Bible and the Arab World In History and Prophecy.
More on Africa can be found in the Continuing Church of God video sermon at its ContinuingCOG channel:
Is Africa mentioned in the Bible? Who did the Africans descend from? Were there any Africans of note in the Old Testament? Did God intervene in the New Testament to insure an African would be saved? Did any of the apostles get to Africa? Have there long been Sabbath-keepers in Africa? Are there faithful Christians in Africa today? Does God want Africans called and taught? Which African countries has the Continuing Church of God (CCOG) been involved in? Has God provided any intervention related to the CCOG in Africa? Should reaching Africans be despised or considered to be a fulfillment of going through doors that God opens? What about the day of small things? Does God have a plan to protect the Philadelphian Africans? Are Africans prophesied to see more wealth during the reign of the Beast? Does God have a plan to call more Africans?
Here is a link to the video sermon: Africa: Its biblical past, present, and future.
Trade with Europe is part of Africa’s temporary destiny.
But its ultimate destiny will be that nearly all Africans will be part of the coming Kingdom of God.
Some items of possibly related interest may include:
Africa: Its Biblical Past and Prophesied Future What does the Bible teach about Africa and its future? Did the early Church reach Africa? Will God call all the Africans? A sermon of possible interest would be: Africa: Its biblical past, present, and future. Another video of possible interest is: Nairobi Conference: All About Love.
Nairobi Conference: All About Love This is the beginning of the 2017 African conference for the Continuing Church of God in Nairobi, Kenya for leaders from eight nations. The agenda and introductions are the first portion of this video, and then there is a sermon explaining why the Philadelphia remnant is all about love. Though given in English, most of the messages are translated into the African language of Kiswahili on this video.
God’s Grace is For All Is being Jewish a hindrance to salvation? What about not being a descendant of Israel? What does the Bible really teach? Here is a link to a related sermon titled Race and Grace; Do you view race as God does? Watch also Mystery of Race.
Is the Future King of the South Rising Up? Some no longer believe there needs to be a future King of the South. Might Egypt, Islam, Iran, Arabs, or Ethiopia be involved? Might this King be called the Mahdi or Caliph? What does the Bible say? A YouTube video of related interest may be: The Future King of the South is Rising.
Europa, the Beast, and the Book of Revelation discusses the largest church since the second/third century, which in a real sense is the eighth church mentioned in the Book of Revelation (it also endorses “eighth day” worship). What church would support the Beast? Here is a link to a video titled: Europe and the ‘Holy Roman Empire’.
Asia in Prophecy What is Ahead for Asia? Who are the “Kings of the East”? What will happen to nearly all the Chinese, Russians, Indians, and others of Asia? China in prophecy, where? Who has the 200,000,000 man army related to Armageddon? Here is a link to a related sermon: Asia in Prophecy. Two YouTube video are Is China THE Threat to the United States of America? and China: A King of the East.
CCOGAFRICA.ORG This is a website targeted towards those in Africa.
CCOGAfrica channel. This has messages from African pastors in African languages such as Kalenjin, Kiswahili, Embu, and Dholuo. Also available at BitChute COGAfrica https://www.bitchute.com/channel/cogafrica/
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