The Catholic Church in Africa, through the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), has issued a call for people-centered development and reparatory justice as leaders convene for the 7th African Union–European Union (AU–EU) Summit in Luanda. The Church urged African and European leaders to prioritize inclusion, transparency, and historical accountability in shaping Africa’s future.
In its statement, SECAM emphasized the Church’s unique perspective, grounded in daily engagement with African communities through schools, clinics, parishes, and social initiatives. “We speak as a Church embedded in the lives of the people, sharing their joys and hopes, as well as their griefs and anxieties,” the statement said. The Church highlighted the moral imperative of truth and justice, particularly in addressing the needs of the poor and historically marginalized.
2025: A Year of Reparations and Justice
The year 2025 is significant for both the AU and the Church. The African Union has declared it the Year of Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations and will launch the Decade of Reparations (2026–2036). SECAM underscored the importance of this moment in advancing truth, renewal, and reparatory justice, linking the summit to broader ecological, social, and climate justice priorities voiced at COP30 in Belém.
Concerns Over Limited Civil Society Participation
SECAM raised concerns over the restricted participation of civil society in the official summit, noting that many African organizations, including faith-based groups, humanitarian networks, women’s and youth associations, farmer and Indigenous organizations, and local development movements, were excluded from proceedings, even when willing to self-fund attendance. “How can a summit focused on Africa’s future exclude those who support African communities daily?” the statement asked.
In response, a Parallel Peoples’ Summit was organized at the Catholic University of Angola on November 19–20. SECAM emphasized that this initiative is not rebellious but a necessary response to top-down processes, lack of transparency, and institutional imbalance, aiming to ensure that African voices are heard.
Historical Responsibility and Reparatory Justice
SECAM highlighted the need for honesty about Africa’s historical experience, including the Transatlantic slave trade, colonialism, neocolonialism, economic domination, and resource extraction. The Church urged the EU to fully commit to reparatory justice, pointing out that the legacy of historical exploitation persists in unfair trade systems and transgenerational trauma affecting Africans and people of African descent today.
People-Centered Development and Justice
The Church advocates a development model that centers the human person rather than systems or geopolitical interests. SECAM, in collaboration with COMECE, Caritas, and CIDSE, warned that many AU–EU initiatives risk perpetuating extractive patterns unless they are designed to serve communities directly. Reparatory justice, they stressed, is essential, not only for structural fairness but also for restorative healing.
Economic, debt, and ecological justice were also highlighted. Africa’s historical debt burdens must be addressed as a matter of justice, while ecological responsibility requires that forests, water, biodiversity, and vulnerable communities are protected from profit-driven exploitation. Respect for African sovereignty, both at governmental and citizen levels, is crucial.
Toward a Strengthened AU–EU Partnership
SECAM concluded with a call for a renewed, inclusive, and transparent AU–EU partnership, grounded in dialogue and justice.
The Church emphasized that trust and long-lasting collaboration depend on listening to African communities, acknowledging historical wrongs, and committing to reparatory and sustainable action. “The Church in Africa stands ready to accompany Africa and Europe toward a future of justice, peace, and human dignity,” the statement affirmed.
