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Africa |
CHURCHES
A major document that might lead the Church in Africa to establish
an ecumenical Charter on the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)
was launched in Nairobi on 8 OctoberThe six-page document, entitled a «Draft Ecumenical Charter» was drawn up at the end of three-day consultative ecumenical meeting (6-8 October), attended by representatives of Churches, national Christian Councils and regional Christian bodies at sub-regional and regional levels.
It was organized by the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), a Pan-African Religious body, currently grouping together an estimated 120 million Christians, within approximately 169 Churches in 39 African countries. The meeting was chaired by the AACC‘s Executive Secretary for Ecumenical Relations and Publications, Dr. Comlan Prosper Deh from Togo.
Vital role
At the end of the consultative ecumenical meeting, Dr Deh explained that the document would be tabled at the forthcoming 8th General Assembly of the AACC, scheduled for 22-27 November at Yaounde, Cameroon, for approval. He said: «The document-ecumenical Charter on NEPAD, will be ready for the Churches in Africa, where it is expected to play a vital role in articulating the principles of NEPAD from the Christian teaching point of view».
In its preamble, the document explains that the idea behind the Charter on NEPAD was mooted last March, at a pan-African Ecumenical Consultation on NEPAD, held at Johannesburg, South Africa. During this meeting, an agreement was reached on developing an Ecumenical Charter «that will capture the values and principles that inform our African spirituality and express our Christian faith».
Needs
After affirming that NEPAD is an important step in the right direction, as an initiative taken by African Heads of States, the document in its preamble further added: «This initiative can be reconciled with promises made by African delegates at the 1998 World Council of Churches (WCC) conference, held in Harare, Zimbabwe, which among other things, stressed the need:
- To reconstruct and rebuild communities so that all may have fullness of life;
- To transform social and economic institutions;
- To pursue peace and reconciliation;
- To cultivate ethical values and good stewardship of resources.
The document continues: «We welcome the strategies designed by African Heads of States, particularly when in reviewing the place of Africa in today’s world they state that “the hopes of Africa’s peoples for a better life can no longer rest on the magnanimity of others”. Our first conviction is that solutions to Africa’s problems will be generated by Africans themselves, using Africa’s own resources. But NEPAD cannot address the issue of partnership with the West without facing the dilemma of mutual partnership».
The document concludes by stating: «As Churches in Africa, we have a duty to ensure that a new Africa is constructed out of the present image of hopelessness and desperation. We have a commitment to transform our social and political institutions, reassert African values, and ensure that all of Africa’s people enjoy abundant life. It is our hope that this Charter will not remain on paper, but will be implemented by all of us, in our councils and Churches. It is our belief that the seeds we have sown together are falling on fertile ground».
Comments
Commenting on the document, the AACC‘s Director of Finance and Administration, Mr. Bright Mawudor, who spoke on behalf of the AACC‘s General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Mvume Dandala, observed that NEPAD calls for African ownership and leadership of its own process, as well as a broad and deep participation by all sectors of society. But he however notes that NEPAD‘s own declaration is shy on social mobilization to ensure such African ownership.
He said: «Here is where the Church has its strength and could lend a helping hand. AACC member-Churches have an estimated congregational strength of 120 million Christians who gather weekly on Sundays in 39 African countries. Such a force in the hands of Church in Africa could give NEPAD a quantum leap if we designed an effective Ecumenical Charter on NEPAD».
Mr Mawudor explained that a Charter is a statement of principles and aims of an organization. «In our context it is a statement of principles by the ecumenical movement, to give spiritual meaning to the NEPAD process and to accompany NEPAD‘s own document».
It should be recalled that NEPAD is designed to address current challenges facing the African continent. Issues such as escalating poverty levels, underdevelopment and the continued marginalisation of Africa. All these need a new radical intervention, spearheaded by African leaders, to develop a new vision that would guarantee Africa’s renewal.
Its primary objectives include: To eradicate poverty; to place African countries, both individually and collectively, on a path of sustainable growth and development; to halt the marginalisation of Africa in the globalisation process and enhance its full and beneficial integration into global economy; to accelerate the empowerment of women.
- Francis Njuguna, Kenya, October 2003 — © Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment