2015-09-25 14:36:00

SECAM gets observer status at the African Union


The African Union (AU) has granted the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) observer status at its headquarters in Addis Ababa. This follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that has been signed by the two bodies recently.

Angolan Archbishop of Lubango Archdiocese who is also President of SECAM, Gabriel Mbilingi, signed for SECAM while the Commissioner for Political Affairs of the AU, Dr. Aisha Laraba Abdullahi represented the AU. 

According to the MoU the two parties (AU and  SECAM)  will among other objectives consult one another and prepare programmes for cooperation; invite each other to attend and send observers to meetings of their respective organs on matters of mutual interest in line with their respective rules and procedures; cooperate in order to attain their specific objectives, at national, continental and international levels and promote, social and economic aspirations of their members; cooperate in the field of training, capacity building, seminars and the dissemination of  reports.

Regarding financial matters, the two bodies will endeavour to seek funding for carrying out joint activities for the benefit of the entire continent of Africa.

The AU and SECAM have also agreed to develop an efficient and effective social communications network within the continent in order to achieve the objectives of the two organisations. The governing principles of the MoU are based on international law.

Cardinal Berhaneyesus Souraphiel, the Archbishop of Addis Ababa and current Chairman of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) recently led a delegation to the AU where he met the AU Commission’s Chairperson, Dr. Dlamini Nkozasana-Zuma.  The Cardinal stressed the intention of the Church in Africa to contribute to the continental development endeavours, more specifically to the Africa Agenda 2063 and to the 2015 Sustainable Development goals (SDGs).

Dr. Dlamini Nkozasana Zuma told the Cardinal and his delegation that poverty does not know any religion and that is what the Catholic Church is doing by reaching out to those in need regardless of their religion, race and political orientation or affiliation.

(Communications office of SECAM; CANAA, Nairobi)

e-mail: engafrica@vatiradio.va

 








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