wfn.org | AACC 8th Assembly Approves Ecumenical Body's Reorganization

[cfouke@ncccusa.org]

For Immediate Release

AACC 8TH ASSEMBLY APPROVES AFRICAN ECUMENICAL BODY'S REORGANIZATION

November 27, 2003, Yaounde, Cameroon - The 8th Assembly of the All Africa 
Conference of Churches, meeting here Nov. 22-27, approved a plan to 
restructure and reorganize the AACC "so that the continental ecumenical 
organization may respond appropriately to the challenges it is facing in 
this century."

Furthermore, the delegates from the AACC's 169 national member 
denominations mandated a strategic planning process for the organization 
to assume responsibility for its future and for the quality of its 
services.  

They endorsed a two-year transitional restructuring period during which 
the quality of services, communication and governance is to be attended 
to.  A 'Transitional Task Force Committee' with representatives from each 
of the AACC's five subregions will be named to assist.

The specifics are spelled out in a "Concept Paper" that was introduced to 
the Assembly on Tuesday by Dr. Agnes Abuom from Ghana, the World Council 
of Churches' Vice President for Africa.  The paper is the result of a 
wide-ranging process of reflection and consultation concerning the tasks 
facing the AACC at the start of the 21st Century and ways in which to 
address them.

After a brief outline of the history of the ecumenical movement and 
current social and political realities in Africa, the paper states that 
its purpose is to address the need to reconfigure the ecumenical 
structures to face the challenges of the day. 

It acknowledges that there are major changes in the landscape of our 
ecumenical partners, who are themselves restructuring and downsizing. It 
identifies priority program areas such as Conflict Resolution, Peace 
Building, Economic Justice and Poverty Reduction.

Among the strengths of the AACC that the paper notes are its functional 
governance system and basic infrastructure, as well as its qualified 
personnel. The AACC is the largest Protestant network in Africa, with 169 
national church bodies comprising 120 million members in 39 countries, 
along with 27 national ecumenical councils, in its membership.

Among the weakness identified are the lack of attention to the 
theological basis of its existence, the relevance to grassroots 
membership and the slowness of its decision making process.

The paper goes on to suggest that the AACC is under threat from competing 
NGO's in its traditional areas of operation, scarce internal resources 
and over-reliance on foreign donors.

Great opportunities, however, present themselves to the organization. 
These include the challenges to help define Africa's humane contribution 
to the globalization process, advocacy for just north/south relations, 
the removal of the debt burden (along with programs for poverty 
reduction) and the struggle to contain and reduce HIV/AIDS.

The Concept Paper goes on to suggest areas that need to be addressed if 
the AACC is to confront the identified weaknesses and threats and 
maximize its strengths and opportunities. Among them are the 
organizational structure, financial and human resource management 
systems, and the effectiveness of its programs. 

The paper outlines preconditions for change, suggests strategies to plan 
the way forward, and steps to be taken by the General Secretary, General 
Committee and the General Secretary.

Dave Wanless	AACC

AACC Media Team: (011) 237 966 3059 or 3063 through 11/29
Thereafter Contact AACC Communications, Nairobi: 254 20 444 1338/9
In the U.S.: 212-870-2252; In South Africa: 27 82 784-7693

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