Catholic Bishops in Africa have called on social and political stakeholders and decision makers, to continue to do their utmost best to fight insecurity on the continent. They have also urged foreign forces to get involved in building peace and security on the African continent. They called on people all over, to be alert to the situations of insecurity and collectively seek solutions to the problem.
The Bishops made the call at the closing Mass of the 19th Plenary Assembly of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), held in Accra from the 25th July to 1st August, 2022. The Assembly had as its theme: “Ownership of SECAM: Security and Migration in Africa and the Islands.”
On the issue of migration, they said that it is a social phenomenon that is linked to the history of mankind. They, however, admitted that migration can be irregular and urged leaders and socio-political decision-makers to create conditions that discourage irregular migration. These conditions, they said, included good governance, employment opportunities, multi-faceted security, political and social inclusion and the promotion of social justice. They urged transit and host countries to respect the rights and human dignity of migrants and asked christian communities to welcome, protect, promote and integrate migrants.
In the spirit of synodality, they urged christians to listen to the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth by caring for the environment, fighting climate change and promoting social justice for the needy and the poor.