SECAM : TO UNVEIL TRIENNIAL STRATEGIC PLAN DURING 20TH PLENARY ASSEMBLY IN .

As the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) looks forward to the upcoming 20th Plenary Assembly, slated to commence Wednesday, 30th July in Kigali, Rwanda, the leadership has disclosed the plan to unveil its three-year roadmap that outlines the goals, priorities, and action steps to guide its operations, growth, and decision-making as aligned with SECAM’s vision and mission. By Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA

SECAM’s mission is to foster communion, promote evangelization, and be the moral and spiritual voice of the Church across the continent.

The over 250 participants, including Cardinals, Bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and the lay leaders from across Africa and its islands, as well as partners from other continents, will gather under the theme : “Christ, Source of Hope, Reconciliation and Peace.”

Besides the Triennial Strategic Plan to be unveiled, the Secretary General of SECAM, Fr. Rafael Simbine Junior, has noted in a statement shared Thursday, July 23, that the Bishops’ body will also initiate the renewal of its leadership in line with its constitution.

Consequently, the Kigali Assembly will also assess the progress made since the 19th Assembly, held in 2022 in Accra, Ghana, and chart a visionary course for the Church in Africa with the key agenda including, the “Presentation of SECAM’s long-term vision document for 2025–2050, built around 12 foundational pillars such as evangelization, family leadership, youth engagement, care for creation, digital mission, and political responsibility.”

The other agenda will be on “pastoral reflection on accompanying Catholics in complex cultural realities, including polygamous unions and discussions on governance, justice, peace, interfaith dialogue, climate change, and safeguarding.

SECAM was founded in 1969 during Pope St. Paul VI’s historic visit to Africa. Its main departments include : Commission for Evangelization ; Justice, Peace and Development Commission (JPDC), and Department of Social Communication.

Additionally, SECAM, which is composed of eight regional episcopal bodies, operates a Liaison Office to the African Union based in Addis Ababa to ensure Church participation in continental policymaking and advocacy.

The regional bodies include, Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC), the Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa Region (ACERAC), the Regional Episcopal Conferences of West Africa (RECOWA/CERAO), the Assembly of Catholic Hierarchy of Egypt (AHCE), the Regional Episcopal Conferences of North Africa (CERNA), the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA), the Inter-regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA) and the Madagascar and Episcopal Conferences of Indian Ocean (CEDOI).