”Economic growth in many African countries is risking coming at the expense of the poor. Despite a decade of high growth across the African continent, the wealth created is not being adequately shared. This continues to limit the progress for human development in Africa and could risk achieving agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals just approved by global leaders”, said Ms. Pauliina Parhiala, Director of ACT Alliance, during the launch of the ACT Alliance office for Africa in Nairobi.
Inequality within nations is in increase. Growing inequalities, unaddressed, could end up excluding people, provoking conflict, reducing opportunities for sustainable development and undermining democratic processes. ACT Alliance with faith and civil society partners have been calling for a global development agenda which would leave no one behind. The agenda 2030 needs to ensure that full attention is given to the poor and most marginalised communities through integrated agenda that looks at the issue across economic, social and environmental perspectives, with dignity and human rights at its heart.
Also climate policy needs to address inequalities. Climate change disproportionately impacts poor and marginalised people and communities, women and girls and is a major driver for forced displacement.
”Addressing climate change is primarily a moral issue. Addressing it requires human decision and human action. Never before have our communities needed us as now”, said Rev. John McCullough, President and CEO of Church World Service, ACT Alliance member, urging faith leaders and civil society movements to be increasingly proactive in demanding change. He is also Global Climate Change Ambassador for the USA.
“Today we mark the presence of ACT Alliance’s global secretariat in Nairobi. The decision to decentralize the ACT secretariat to several offices is an intentional effort to bring closer proximity to the membership of the Alliance but also to transfer resources increasingly to the accompaniment of the Alliance members in the regions to learn, work and innovate increasingly together. This allows us to be more responsive to the needs and circumstances in the African context”, said Mr. Gezahegn Gebrehana, Regional Representative of ACT Alliance for Africa.
Guests who spoke during the event include Reverend Canon Peter Karanja, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) and Reverend Dr. Andre Karamanga, General Secretary of All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC). About 100 guests from United Nations agencies, international organisations and ecumenical partners, ACT Alliance members and ACT Forum in Kenya were present.
ACT Alliance office for Africa was launched in the context of Pan-African Faith Leader’s Summit just prior the arrival of Pan African Cycling Caravan to Nairobi. ACT Alliance calls for ambitious and just climate agreement from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) starting in few weeks time in Paris.
ACT Alliance is a coalition of more than 140 churches and faith-based organizations working together in over 140 countries to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalized people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality in keeping with the highest international codes and standards. Currently, ACT Alliance has 46 members in Africa and its members convene in 20 country forums and two sub-regional forums.
For further comments, please contact
Director Pauliina Parhiala, ACT Alliance, +41 79 963 5333, pauliina.parhiala@actalliance.org
Regional Representative Gezahegn Gebrehana, ACT Alliance +254 726 478 062, gezehegn.gebrehana@actalliance.org
