AFJN Will Join SECAM Congress in Seychelles
The Africa Faith and Justice Network will attend the Justice and Peace Congress scheduled for December 2026.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Catholicism
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The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) will participate in the upcoming SECAM Justice and Peace Congress, taking place in Seychelles from December 7 to 11, 2026. This gathering will assemble bishops, commission coordinators, and partners to assess the Church's response to political, economic, social, and environmental challenges across the continent.
Why it matters
The Congress serves as a platform to align the Church in Africa with the service of creation, social justice, and the promotion of the common good. AFJN intends to contribute insights from its previous advocacy efforts to help shape future collaborative responses to these regional challenges.
The upcoming SECAM Congress will prioritize a new 25-year strategic plan for the Church. This event builds on historical initiatives, including land-grabbing prevention efforts in Ghana that have been ongoing since 2014.
The players
Africa Faith and Justice Network
This organization works to promote justice, peace, and the integrity of creation by engaging with policy makers and grassroots communities.
SECAM
The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar serves as the umbrella body for the Catholic Church in Africa.
The details
The Congress focuses on the theme of the Church in Africa at the service of creation, social justice, and the promotion of the common good. Participants will evaluate how the Church can effectively address systemic issues, building on past SECAM meetings like the 2012 forum in Tanzania and the 2015 Land Grab Conference in Kenya.
Timeline
AFJN presented at a SECAM forum in Tanzania in 2012.
Land-grabbing prevention work began in Ghana in 2014.
SECAM hosted a Land Grab Conference in Kenya in 2015.
The SECAM Justice and Peace Congress will occur in Seychelles from December 7 to 11, 2026.
Culture Shift
The 2026 Congress continues the advocacy model established by the 2015 SECAM Land Grab Conference in Kenya, reflecting a long-term commitment to continental policy engagement. This shift signals a transition from isolated, issue-specific meetings to a comprehensive 25-year structural plan.
The implementation of the new 25-year plan may eventually influence local parish outreach and social justice programming in communities across Africa. Supporters and partners can anticipate future opportunities for joint advocacy as the Congress establishes its new long-term objectives.
The takeaway
The upcoming SECAM Congress highlights the Church's ongoing commitment to linking faith-based advocacy with tangible social and environmental change. Attendees and global stakeholders should monitor the event's conclusions for how these new 25-year strategic goals will translate into regional policy action.
Further reading
For more information on the evolving mission of the Church in Africa, visit the Catholicism section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Africa Faith and Justice Network - AFJN.
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