All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) Statement on Peace in Africa
Issued 19th November 2021, Nairobi, Kenya
- We, the members of the General Committee of the All-Africa Conference of Churches met in Nairobi, Kenya from 17th – 19th November 2021 considered the increasing deteriorating situations of insecurity in a number of African countries and we express our profound worries. Having been reminded by our call as peacemakers by God of peace who obligated us to work for peace and justice, we CALL on all duty-bearers in Africa to commit to the causes of justice and peace.
- We are concerned about the situation in Ethiopia where the yearlong conflict which started in the Tigray region of Ethiopia continues to be worrisome and a threat to the integrity and peace of the country. The crisis is taking a trend of escalating into a subregional violence because of many existential factors. AACC supports and calls on all to support and cooperate with the African Union initiative led by H.E. former President Olusegun Matthew Obasanjo for peace and prosperity of the subregion.
- We are disturbed by the ongoing violence and military crackdown on innocent civilians demonstrating for the return of democratic governance in Sudan. The violent crackdown is unacceptable because citizens have the rights to peaceful demonstration on issues that they consider important for their collective wellbeing and stability. We call on the government and people of Sudan to give peace a chance and the military to end its violent crackdown on its citizens.
- Similarly, we call on the monarchy and all stakeholders in the Kingdom of eSwatini to end the violence and return the kingdom to stability and serenity.
- The situation in Cameroun is also breaking our hearts where the anglophone separatist insurgency and the Boko Haram insurgents continue to worsen the life and security of the civilians.
- In Mozambique, the effects of the Islamist insurgency in Cabo Delgado province on the people are bad and increased violence against civilians cause more internal displacements. We applaud efforts of the SADC and the government of Mozambique to end the insurgency and restore peace and tranquility in the area.
- We are concerned by the insecurity situation in West Africa where armed transnational extremists’ religious groups including Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) in Nigeria and some countries of the Sahel continue to unleash violent attacks on those who believe differently from them. We call on people of all faiths to commit to countering and preventing the spread of narratives of the violent extremists and affirm narratives of hospitality and religious tolerance.
- We continue to express deep worry over the incessant activities of bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, killer herdsmen, and separatists in the nation of Nigeria. The feeling of insecurity among citizens and residents of Nigeria is worrisome. We join many voices around the world calling on the government to act faster than expected in restoring citizens’ and residents’ confidence in the government to secure their lives as constitutional obligation.
- We are also very concerned by the situation in Libya, Tunisia, eastern parts of Democratic Republic of Congo, and other countries that have continued deny people the realization of the fullness of life as promised by God of life in Jesus Christ. We loudly call on those with authority to work for the common good of all people regardless of race, religion and cultural leaning. Let peace flow like a river (Isaiah 66:12)
- Inspired by our vision of life, peace, justice, and dignity of God’s people and in support of the work towards the realization of the aspirations for an integrated, peaceful and prosperous Africa as in the African Union Agenda 2063: “The Africa We Want” commit to intentionally pursue sustainable peace anchored on justice and dignity in the continent of Africa.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God”. (Matthew 5: 9)