Council for World Mission (CWM) and All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) formalise new Cooperation Framework for ecumenical partnership

by CWM Communications Team

Council for World Mission (CWM) and All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) have established an  agreement for a Framework of Cooperation (FoC) to further deepen ecumenical collaboration on several programmatic areas following its recent approval by the CWM Board.

Leaders of both organisations had identified three key areas of engagement – economic and social justice; creation care (climate justice) and capacity strengthening for CWM and AACC’s member churches in mission, diakonia and leadership in a meeting last October, and the Framework serves to provide a structured method of partnership that facilitates strategic coordination and follow up on programmatic areas of intervention.

The FoC will guide and provide collaboration processes and working relationships between CWM and AACC; and facilitate mobilisation, working with and strengthening capacities of the member churches and church leaders on the three thematic areas.

The two organisations will support each other’s endeavours in their respective mission and mandate through programme initiation and implementation for the next five years.

On the economic and social justice front, this cooperation will enable the dissemination of AACC publications on public debt and corruption in Africa and the organising of a regional conference on confronting corruption, and illicit financial flows and unjust tax regimes in 2023.  It also facilitates a consultation on social issues, especially on gender justice and empowering male champions for gender justice.

The arrangement articulates their backing of creation care (climate justice) initiatives by selected member churches, and their support for roundtable consultations for African Faith Actors Network for Climate Justice (AFAN-CJ) leading up to COP28, which will also see their participation through the organising of COP28 side events.

Finally, the framework allows for faculty support at Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation, to contribute to the area of formation in mission, ecumenism, diakonia and leadership in 2023, among others.

Speaking on this historic partnership agreement between CWM and AACC, CWM General Secretary Rev. Dr Jooseop Keum said, “Since the LMS times, we have mainly focussed our mission work on the Southern and Anglophone Africa region. Now, through our partnership with AACC, CWM will contribute to God’s mission in Africa for the whole of the continent and peoples.”

He noted, “More importantly we will make it work as credible evidence of transformative ecumenism in issues of ecological and economic justice and future ecumenical leadership formation. Indeed, this is a milestone achievement in the history of ecumenical partnership in CWM. We will rise together to life!”

AACC General Secretary, Rev. Dr. Fidon Mwombeki said “AACC is so grateful to have this MoU with CWM.  I wholeheartedly thank the Board for their decision to establish this partnership, which was long overdue. We know the strengths of CWM in global thematic engagement as witnessed of Jesus Christ. We look forward to work together for justice, peace, and prosperity of all human beings.”

Dated 15 November 2022

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