From the Worldwide Faith News archives www.wfn.org


AANA BULLETIN No. 17/03 May 5, 2003 (a)


From Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>
Date Sun, 18 May 2003 17:25:26 -0700

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AANA BULLETIN No. 17/03 May 5, 2003 (a)

Conference Of Churches Appoints New General Secretary

NAIROBI (AANA) May 5 - The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in 
Southern Africa, Bishop Hamilton Mvume Dandala, has been appointed the new 
General Secretary of the Nairobi based All Africa Conference of Churches 
(AACC).

His appointment was made on May 2 by AACC General Committee, which has been 
meeting in Nairobi from May 1 to 2.

AACC is a fellowship of 168 national churches in 39 African countries, with 
a congregational membership estimated at 120 million Christians in 
Africa.  National Christian Councils are associate members.

In making its report and recommendations to the General Committee, the 
Search Committee chaired by Bishop Yowakim Paul, of the Coptic Orthodox 
Church, said Bishop Dandala emerged as the best candidate, out of ten 
candidates for the substantive post in the pan-African ecumenical
organisation.

The 51 year old Bishop holds several public service positions, including 
chairmanship of Johannesburg Housing Company, Trustee of Sowetan National 
Trust and Interfaith Community Development Association.  He is also a 
director of Khotso House, Libertam Building Ltd and South African Outlook.

He is an honorary Professor of Theology in Pretoria University and member 
of the National (South Africa) Religious Leaders Forum.

On the international scene, he has served as the Regional Secretary 
(Africa) of the World Methodist Evangelism.  He is the Moderator of the 
Advisory Group on Regional Relations, an Ecumenical sharing of the Geneva 
based World Council of Churches, as well as a member; Roman Catholic - 
Methodist International Commission.

He has earned several awards including Peace Hero award, Distinguished 
Humanitarian Services award, Leadership Recognition and Affirmation award, 
Golden Dove Peace award and Paul Harris Fellowship award.

He is expected to assume responsibilities of his new appointment on 
September 1, 2003.  This was announced by the Chairman of AACC Finance and 
Personnel Committee, Chief Dr. Samuel Adekunle.

Bishop Dandala, married with two children, a daughter and son, is a 
distinguished scholar with a Masters degree (Theology), Cambridge 
University, UK and is currently a doctorate candidate.

He will be taking over from the AACC Interim General Secretary Mr. Melaku 
Kifle, who was seconded to AACC by the World Council of Churches for a year.

Bishop Dandala joins AACC at a time the organisation is preparing to hold 
its 8th General Assembly in Yaoundi, Cameroon, from November 22 to 27 this 
year.

AACC is also celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year, and has been 
undergoing a process of evolving a new Vision and Mission, of which Bishop 
Dandala participated in one of its consultative meetings (March 13 - 15, 
2003) in Nairobi.

Presenting his report, Mr. Kifle called for the establishment of Africa 
Charter for Truth, to be adopted by churches, African governments and 
African Union.

Mr. Melaku noted that "truth has become an elusive commodity in Africa" yet 
it formed "the basis for our moral values."  He went on, "good governance 
and democracy will simply be hollow if truth does not form their foundation."

The General Committee approved the proposal. AACC staff with any co-opted 
expertise will accordingly work out the modalities of the Charter, and its 
promotion in Africa.

Mr. Kifle also called on the churches to fight stigmatisation of HIV/AIDS, 
noting it had proved to be an impediment in the war against the disease.

The General Assembly is the top policy making organ for AACC.  It meets 
every five years.

The General Committee serves as its continuation committee, meeting every 
18 months and is attended by Church leaders from every part of Africa.

At the Nairobi meeting, representatives of the ecumenical partners attended 
as observers.

Reported by Mitch Odero

Outgoing Boss Urges AACC To Be The Think Tank For Africa

NAIROBI (AANA) May 5 - The All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) should 
act as the think tank for the Church in Africa, interpreting major issues 
such as the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), 
globalisation, and economic justice, among others.

This observation was made by the AACC's interim General Secretary, Mr. 
Melaku Kifle, at a General Committee meeting (May 1-2) that preceded the 
continental church body's 40th Anniversary celebration on May 3.

He said that to be truthful to the calling of being minister to God's 
people, it had become imperative that an institution like AACC responded to 
the challenges that Africa was facing, caused by rapid modernisation that 
threatened to leave the continent behind.

"I want to challenge you today to become a true catalyst for the 
development of Africa, whether it be ecumenically, socially, politically 
and economically," said Mr. Kifle.

He noted that many a time, the Church, and especially an institution like 
AACC, had been found wanting on issues affecting the continent.

He challenged the General Committee to help in image-building of the AACC, 
if it was to become an effective continental ecumenical organisation. He 
pointed out that while the journey had started, the objectives had yet to 
be met.

For AACC to be a relevant and dynamic ecumenical organisation in the 21st 
Century, it had to pass the test of time.

The general secretary said the ecumenical movement in the world was in 
transition, if not in a crisis, as it was certainly at crossroads.

He cautioned that for the ecumenical movement to remain relevant, it had to 
draw the map for its future journey and discern its way forward 
collectively and cautiously.

Mr. Kifle noted that AACC, because of its long experience that spanned 40 
years, had the capacity and ability to respond to the religious, social, 
economic and political challenges "of our times in an effective, efficient 
and proactive manner, on behalf of, and with member churches and the wider 
ecumenical family".

He said governments, international organisations, civil society groups, 
churches and individuals, were challenging the justification of AACC's 
existence by asking questions like: "Where is the prophetic voice of the 
AACC? Where is the pastoral voice of AACC?"

To him, such questions were an indication of how significant AACC was in 
society.

Reported by Joseph K'Amolo

Induction Of Female Aides Marks New Turn For Church

ACCRA (AANA) May 5 - Fourteen female chalice assistants have been inducted 
in the Anglican Accra Diocese, marking a turning point for the Anglican 
Church here.

The chalice assistants were inducted on April 12 at a short ceremony in 
Trinity College in Accra.

This is the first time women have been allowed to take up such high-level 
responsibilities in the Eucharist service of the Anglican Church in Ghana.

A member of the congregation at the induction commented: "This marks the 
beginning of a new era in the Anglican Church, where women are now 
beginning to serve in areas that were previously held by men."

As a chalice assistant, one's major responsibility is to help in 
administering the Holy Communion. The position has been a preserve for men.

"This is a unique occasion because women can now don cassocks and go to the 
Altar of God together with their male colleagues, a rare occurrence in the 
Anglican Tradition," said Alex Allotey, an Anglican youth leader in Accra.

He explained:  "Synod, under the Anglican Diocese of Accra, has agreed that 
before women are allowed into priesthood, they should be first allowed on 
the Altar of God as altar girls, then serve as chalice assistants as a 
prelude in their preparation into priesthood."	Allotey was responding to 
an email interview.

Among those present to witness the induction were Dean of the Cathedral, 
the Very Rev. J.A Ocquaye, and Rev Canon Dan S.M Torto, Assistant 
Diocesan/Synod Secretary.

Reported by Joyce Mulama

Burkinabes To Soon Benefit From Cheaper Generic ARVs

OUAGADOUGOU (AANA) May 5 - Burkina Faso is set to import from India, 
generic medication for HIV positive people, following an agreement with 
India's Chemical Industrial Pharmaceutical Laboratories (CIPLA).

This was revealed on April 24 by Burkina Faso's Minister for Health, Alain 
Yoda.

The move is meant to improve access to antiretrovirals (ARVs) to people 
living with HIV/AIDS.  The price of ARVs has been a constraint.   "Even if 
the prices have reduced during the last few years, they are still 
unaffordable to most people who need them," said the minister.

A convention signed in 2001 with the director of Glaxosmithkline (the 
biggest manufacturer of antiretrovirals), led to the reduction in the cost 
of monthly treatment from US$500 to between US$ 100 and 150.  Still, only 
150 HIV positive people managed access to the treatment, according to Mr
Yoda.

More than 45 percent of the 12 million Burkinabes are living below poverty 
line, with an income of less than US$ 120 a year.

CIPLA is one of the first companies distributing generic medication in the 
market.  It is recognised by UNAIDS and WHO.  The minister expressed hope 
that importation of less expensive generic ARVs would enable more patients 
to gain access to the drugs. The cost of generic treatment is expected to 
fall between US$ 37 and 70 a month.

According to latest statistics from UNAIDS, about 6.5 percent of the 
population is HIV positive.  Until recently, the figure was 7.17 percent.

Reported by Claire Mbombo

Africa, Caribbean, Receive Boost For ABC AIDS Package

NEW YORK/NAIROBI (AANA) May 5 - Africa and the Caribbean are beneficiaries 
of a US$ 15 billion fund to tackle the AIDS pandemic.

The grant, which was endorsed in New York on April 29, seeks to promote the 
"ABC" prevention package of Abstinence, Be Faithful and Consistent Condom 
use.  The package is based on a successful Ugandan model that saw 
prevalence rates among pregnant women decline from 20.6 percent in 1991 to 
7.9 percent by 2000.

UNICEF's Executive Director, Carol Bellamy, pointed out that her 
organisation welcomed the ABC model in its prevention efforts.	"Young 
people have the right to know all the ways to prevent HIV infection, 
starting with abstinence, being faithful to one partner, and consistently 
using condoms," she said in a statement.

Statistics show that more than half of those newly infected with HIV are 
aged between 15 and 24, with girls being the most vulnerable.

In sub-Saharan Africa, more than two-thirds of the 8.6 million young people 
(aged 15-24) living with HIV/AIDS are female.  A UNICEF study carried out 
in the same region showed that half the teenage girls surveyed did not know 
that a healthy-looking person could have AIDS.

The fund, which includes provision for anti-retroviral drugs and other 
treatment, designates US$ 3 billion each year for five years.

It is intended to help prevent seven million new infections, and treat at 
least two million people with life-extending drugs. It is also expected to 
provide care for millions more suffering from AIDS, including children 
orphaned by the disease.

The fund targets 14 countries from Africa and the Caribbean. They are 
Botswana, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Guyana, Haiti, Mozambique, Namibia, 
Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Southern African countries have the highest HIV prevalence rate, with 
Botswana leading the pack with 38.8 percent.

Reported by Olwira Betty


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