Displaying items by tag: Commonwealth

Commonwealth leaders are preparing to challenge the UK on the issue of slavery reparations at their upcoming summit, despite Downing Street's insistence that reparatory justice is not on the official agenda. Diplomatic sources say that Commonwealth officials are negotiating an agreement to begin meaningful conversations about reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. This could leave the UK facing significant financial reparations, with some estimates suggesting it owes over £18 trillion to Caribbean nations alone. Frederick Mitchell, foreign minister of the Bahamas, emphasised the need for an apology and acknowledged that reparations go beyond money, highlighting the importance of respect and recognition of past wrongs. Caribbean leaders have intensified their calls for reparations, but the UK government maintains its position against paying them, focusing instead on present-day challenges, such as climate change. King Charles has expressed regret over colonial wrongdoings but stopped short of an apology. The issue is expected to become a central focus at the next Commonwealth summit in 2026.

Selling mobile phone accessories in a small shop in Gabon's capital Libreville, Doles Gabriel sees coup leader General Brice Oligui Ngeuma as someone who has unshackled the nation from the chains of his former boss - President Ali Bongo. ‘Moses was educated in the house of Pharaoh, but God appointed him to liberate the people of Egypt from slavery. This is what is happening in the house of Bongo’, the 23-year-old said. Her comments reflect the joy - and hopes - of many people who had lived under the Bongo dynasty. With an iron fist, the family have ruled oil-rich Gabon since 1967, when Omar Bongo became president in 1967. When he died in 2009 his son Ali succeeded him. He appointed the general head of the elite Republican Guard, in charge of his own security. But on 30 August, shortly after Mr Bongo was announced as the winner of disputed elections, the general seized power from the man he was supposed to protect. In a new development, on 20 September Gabon was partially suspended from the Commonwealth, as its foreign ministers said that they ‘strongly condemned the unconstitutional removal of the elected government from office’. See

With the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday 8 September, we invite you to pray for The Royal Family, the Government and the Church.

As a family of nations, we have received messages of support and love from around The Commonwealth:

From our friends in the Caribbean: “May the changing and transitioning of ‘the guards’ be a smooth one to bring about God’s great purpose for your nation.”

“Condolences and love from Aotearoa New Zealand. This monarch held the Commonwealth together with a depth of love experienced by all who met her. May our God move to protect what she achieved through His leading and guiding and pass it on to our King.”

“We from the South Pacific Islands join you our Commonwealth & UK family in this great mourning (tangi) season as we all release such a beautiful beloved Queen Elizabeth II back to the King Jesus Christ. She wasn’t just an amazing beloved Queen. She was also a mother to Commonwealth, UK & Nations.”

Join us praying for:

The Royal Family and the monarchy. Pray particularly for King Charles III as he considers the impact of the death of His mother. This is a remarkable moment for His Majesty, King Charles III and as the body of Christ, let us stand together and pray that he will be open to the leading and guiding of Holy Spirit. In this time of national mourning, we pray for The Royal Family themselves. That they will be able to find space for their private mourning as each of them come to terms with the loss of the head of their family. I think we can be certain that it was the Queen’s desire for unity in her family, so may this be a time when differences are put aside and family relationships are restored.

The Government led by the newly sworn-in Prime Minister, Liz Truss. We pray for great wisdom at this time, for an understanding and an ability to do what needs to be done and as the nation mourns, that the new Government has a capacity to comprehend the depth of feeling in the nation at the same time as the need to govern with compassion. We pray great grace upon the new Cabinet.

Finally, The Church (the Bride of Christ). May She understand more of the signs of the times in which we are living, to keep vigilant in prayer as the nation mourns, the monarchy transitions and the new Government becomes established. We pray for Archbishop Justin Welby as he considers what to say and how he will conduct the state funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. We pray that in all of these circumstances God will receive the glory and the honour.

Amen

God bless you.
The World Prayer Centre Team

The UK and Commonwealth will celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a four-day holiday weekend (2 to 5 June). HOPE Together is working to help churches around the Commonwealth to mark this special occasion and, in particular, to celebrate the Queen’s seventy years of faith and service. It has produced a web-page resource (see link below) with information to assist churches and organisations as they plan their celebrations. HOPE have commissioned a new anthem, ‘Rise Up and Serve’, written by Graham Kendrick and Rend Collective for choirs to sing as part of the celebrations. The highlight for many will be on Pentecost Sunday, where services in churches around the Commonwealth will give thanks for the Queen’s life of service and witness to her Christian faith.

Boris Johnson has announced that the Department for International Development (DfID) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) will be merged. A new government department will be created. CSW is concerned as each department has a distinct, essential mandate. It said any proposed changes must not advance economic and security interests at the expense of poverty alleviation, humanitarian assistance, and the promotion of human rights The merger, to be made during a rise in global poverty caused by coronavirus and reconstituting the only department with a humanitarian focus, could be devastating. Another concern is that this announcement pre-empted the outcome of a defence, security and foreign policy review. CSW is urging the Government to await its conclusion before implementing any changes.

The Commonwealth faces uncertainty over its leadership after its heads of government rejected the secretary-general, Baroness Scotland, being given an automatic second term. Her four-year term of office comes to an end next month. The Commonwealth comprises 53 countries, encompassing almost 1/3 of the world’s population. There is disquiet among some member states about how its secretariat has been run. New Zealand has recently stopped giving funds to the institution. As long ago as 2017 the Government drafted in senior officials to support it amid concerns over the way it was being run. Senior diplomatic and political sources are accusing Lady Scotland of poor leadership and underperforming. Also, internal auditors found she awarded a lucrative £250,000 consultancy contract to a company run by her friend Lord Patel, ‘circumventing’ usual competitive tendering rules. The committee report found his firm was insolvent, with debts worth over £40,000. See 

Let us pray that, as the Commonwealth members enter a new season of advancement, the ‘wealth of these nations’ will be revealed and released in God’s own timing. May He reveal His Isaiah 60 glory in the Commonwealth, and draw on all righteous heritage in the spiritual, governmental, and economic dimensions. May new trade partnerships as well as new quangos be formed to expedite heaven’s plan, and new interdisciplinary committees formed to develop areas of growth, with national governments working together. May this be a new day for the nations of the Commonwealth as a group and as individual nations: not empire-building as in the past, but growing healthy, interdependent partnerships which benefit each member nation. For the full text of Passion for the Nation’s declaration for the Commonwealth, click the ‘More’ button.