wfn.org | Africa Churches Welcome Inauguration of Pan-Africa Parliment

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

ALL AFRICA CONFERENCE OF CHURCHES
CONFERENCE DES EGLISES DE TOUTE LAFRIQUE

General Secretariat: Waiyaki Way, P.O. Box 14205 , 00800 Westlands, 
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254 - 20 - 4441483, 4441338/9 7 Fax: 254 - 20- 4443241, 4445835 7 
Email: secretariat@aacc-ceta.org
  www.aacc-ceta.org

March 19, 2004

PRESS STATEMENT ON THE
INAUGURATION OF PAN-AFRICAN PARLIAMENT

The General Secretary of the Nairobi based All Africa Conference of 
Churches (AACC)  Rev. Dr. H. Mvume Dandala has expressed profound gratitude 
for the inauguration of the Pan-African Parliament.

AACC is a pan-African fellowship of churches and national Christian 
Councils in 34 African countries.  AACC members enjoy a congregational 
membership of an estimated 120 million Christians in Africa.

The following is a full text of the press statement:

The All Africa Conference of Churches	welcomes with profound gratitude 
the official opening of the Pan-African Parliament. While endowed with the 
observer status at the African Union, we appeal for a greater role of the 
faith community in the consolidation of the gains already made in the 
establishment of this parliament.

This is a great milestone in the search for lasting peace and unity in the 
continent. The parliament will certainly provide a new framework through 
which the people of Africa will have a larger influence in the way they are 
governed beyond the Nation State boundaries that we inherited from colonial 
rule.

The founding of the AACC was part and parcel of the process of rebirth of 
the dream for one Africa and we share the same spirit in the quest for 
unity among people of all faiths through the ecumenical movement. The 
restoration of the dignity of the African people in this age of 
globalization ought to be on top of the agenda of the new African 
Parliament. Alleviation of conflicts in countries such as Liberia, Burundi, 
Sudan, Somalia, Cote dIvoire and the Democratic Republic of Congo should 
remain on top of the Agenda.

We also welcome the initiative on the special peace force for Africa by 
African governments as a way forward towards the creation of structures and 
systems of non militaristic intervention on conflicts. The greatest 
challenge however is how to   ensure equitable redistribution of the wealth 
of the continent, fair administration of justice and good governance to the 
benefits of all Africans living in abject poverty.   A permanent home for 
the new parliament should not be based on power or resources of any given 
country but rather on the exemplary peace and stability in the given 
country as a model for the rest of Africa.

The All Africa Conference of Churches celebrates with the rest of Africa 
the planting of this new seed that must now be nourished for 
posterity.  With renewed hope and enthusiasm the Churches in Africa will 
strengthen their participation in serving the poor and alleviating the 
suffering of the people of Africa especially the victims of HIV/AIDS
pandemic.

Rev Dr H Mvume Dandala
General Secretary  All Africa Conference of Churches

For further information contact:
Mitch Odero  AACC Information Desk
E-mail:  infodesk@aacc-ceta.org
Tel: 254-020-4441483/4441338/9
Fax: 254-020-4443241/4445835