“Artificial Intelligence must serve humanity, not enslave it. As Catholic journalists, our task is to ensure technology uplifts truth, dignity, and peace,” declared Charles Ayetan of Togo, newly elected President of the African Catholic Union of the Press (UCAP), at the closing of the 2025 UCAP Congress in Accra, Ghana.

The Congress, held from 10–17 August, brought together more than 100 Catholic journalists and media practitioners from over 20 African nations and beyond.

Organised in partnership with the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) and the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), the week-long Congress explored the theme: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”

Discussions highlighted the potential of AI in eco-innovation, agriculture, water management, and renewable energy. At the same time, participants raised concerns over misinformation, fake identities, and addictive digital platforms. Experts underscored the urgent need for ethical communication, media responsibility, and digital literacy across Africa.

A major highlight was the election of a new UCAP Executive Committee for 2025–2028:

• Charles Ayetan (Togo) – President
• Frank Mugabi (Uganda) – 1st Vice-President
• Aimé Rodrigue Dembélé (Mali) – 2nd Vice-President
• Martine Marie Sylvina Lajoie (Mauritius) – Secretary General
• Franklin Anane Gyimah (Ghana) – Treasurer

The new leadership was officially blessed and commissioned by Rev. Fr. Alexis Dembélé, UCAP’s Ecclesiastical Advisor, who reminded delegates: “The media is a sacred trust. In the digital age, Catholic communicators must remain witnesses of truth and hope, not just transmitters of information.”

The Congress adopted key resolutions to guide Catholic communicators and the wider Church in Africa, including:

• Promoting ethical AI development grounded in transparency, accountability, and respect for human dignity.
• Strengthening fact-checking and digital literacy to combat misinformation.
• Reaffirming human-centred journalism based on empathy and critical thinking.
• Supporting clergy formation on AI’s ethical and pastoral implications.
• Urging governments to invest in digital infrastructure and research.

Delegates reaffirmed their mission to be guardians of truth, missionaries of peace, and voices of the voiceless, ensuring that technology always serves the common good.

The 2025 UCAP Congress stands as a landmark in fostering a media culture that is both technologically progressive and firmly rooted in Christian and African values, upholding peace, justice, and the dignity of every human person.

Issued in Accra, Ghana – 22 August 2025

For UCAP Executive,
Charles Ayetan, President