Great Lakes and Eastern Africa
Although Africa's Great Lakes and East regions comprise several independent states, Church leaders have emphasized the importance of working with a regional focus for the sake of effective peacebuilding. As a result, while CPN engages with persons and organizations in individual nations, like Burundi, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and South Sudan, it also helps facilitate this regional cooperation.
Other CPN accompaniment and partnership in the region has included:
- In 2019, CPN helped plan and facilitate a workshop on the Church's role in peace processes for members of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar in Johannesburg, South Africa.
- In 2017, CPN co-sponsored an institute on peace studies and Catholic Social Teaching for faculty and university leaders from African universities as a follow up to the 2012 plan by the Association of Catholic Universities and Higher Institutes of Africa and Madagascar for expanding peace studies at African universities.
- CPN has helped with strategic planning and other needs for a new peace institute established at the Catholic University of Bukavu under the auspices of ACEAC, the regional episcopal conference covering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Rwanda.
- In 2013, CPN and CRS co-sponsored and provided resource persons for a major meeting on reconciliation for Ugandan bishops and national- and diocesan-level peace and justice staff.
- In 2010, CPN accompanied 125 Church leaders from six national and two regional episcopal conferences during a meeting to approve a plan for regional peacebuilding (2010 Final Declaration In English; 2010 Final Declaration In French).
- In 2006, CPN held its third annual international conference on peacebuilding in Bujumbura, Burundi, titled "Archbishop Michael Aidan Courtney Memorial Conference on Catholic Peacebuilding in Africa’s Great Lakes Region."
Events
"Catholic Peacebuilding in the DRC: Challenges, Opportunities, and Lessons for Sub-Saharan Africa"
July 8, 2020
Throughout its colonial and post-independence history, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has suffered periods of violent conflict. Violence has been caused by ethnic rivalries, rebel militia groups, political turmoil, natural resource exploitation, and disputes with neighboring countries. Amid the violence, the Catholic Church in the DRC has been a steadfast presence for peace, justice and development. Among its peacebuilding activities, the Catholic Church has monitored elections, mediated between warring opposition groups, provided peace education and training, and ministered to the millions of suffering and displaced victims of the country’s myriad conflicts. This webinar discussed the Congolese Catholic community’s work for peace in the DRC and examined how the experiences of Catholic peacebuilding in the DRC might provide insights and lessons elsewhere in Sub-Saharan Africa. Panelists: Mauro Garofalo, Director of International Relations, Sant'Egidio Community; Léocadie Lushombo, IT, Adjunct Instructor, Boston College Theology Department; John Katunga, Peacebuilding and Justice Africa Advisor, Catholic Relief Services; Rigobert Minani, SJ, Head of Research for Peace, Human Rights, Democracy and Good Governance, Centre d'Etude Pour l'Action Sociale (DRC); Director of Jesuit Social Ministry, DRC and Angola; Lisa Sowle Cahill (moderator), J. Donald Monan Professor of Theology, Boston College.
Catholic Peacebuilding in Times of Crisis: Hope for a Wounded World, "La consolidation régionale de la paix (en français)"
June 23, 2022
Dans des contextes où les pays voisins partagent des défis connexes, tels que la violence par des acteurs non étatiques ou la dégradation écologique, la consolidation de la paix régionale est apparue comme une approche nécessaire et efficace. Cet atelier mettra l'accent sur deux conflits régionaux, les combats dans la région des Grands Lacs d'Afrique centrale et le conflit dans le Sahel d'Afrique de l'Ouest. Des représentants d'initiatives régionales de consolidation de la paix partageront leurs expériences et leurs stratégies pour travailler à cette échelle distincte. Modérateur: Stephen Hilbert, USCCB Office of International Justice and Peace. Panélistes: Rev. Emmanuel Ntakarutimana, OP, Centre Ubuntu; Rev. Rigboert Minani, SJ, Centre d'Etude Pour l'Action Sociale; Rev. Dieudonné Musanganya, Université Catholique de Bukavu; Archbishop Djalwana Laurent Lompo, Archdiocese of Niamey (Niger).
Podcasts
The Kroc Cast: Peace Studies Conversations, "The Peace Process and the Pandemic in South Sudan"
June 26, 2020
This episode focuses on the way the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting the peace process in the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan, and the role of the Catholic community in that process. A conversation between Former Ambassador Susan Page, Fr. James Oyet Latansio, and Andrea Bartoli, produced in partnership with the Catholic Peacebuilding Network.
The Kroc Cast: Peace Studies Conversations, "The Pandemic and Peacebuilding: Lessons From Sub-Saharan Africa"
May 1, 2020
Kroc Institute Associate Professor of the Practice of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding David Anderson Hooker, talks with Catholic Peacebuilding Network partners Jean-Baptiste Talla, Nell Bolten, and Fr. Rigobert Minani about the current coronavirus pandemic and its impact on peacebuilding in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Kroc Cast: Peace Studies Conversations, "The 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Ethiopian Peacebuilding"
December 13, 2019
Kroc Institute Communications Program Director, Hannah Heinzekehr, talks with Peter Wallensteen, the Richard G. Starmann Sr. Research Professor Emeritus of Peace Studies, and Kroc Institute Visiting fellow Abba Hagos Hayish Fessuh about the recent awarding of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize to Ethiopian Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed. They also discuss the history and current realities of the conflict at the Ethiopian and Eritrean border and challenges and opportunities facing peacebuilders in Ethiopia.
The Kroc Cast: Peace Studies Conversations, "The 25th Anniversary of the Genocide in Rwanda and Healing Traumatic Memories"
December 6, 2019
Notre Dame Professor of Theology and Peace Studies Fr. Emmanuel Katongole and Fr. Jean Baptiste Mvukiyehe discuss the genocide in Rwanda on its twenty-fifth anniversary, the process of healing from traumatic memories, and more. This episode is one of many conversations recorded during the Kroc Institute’s Building Sustainable Peace Conference in November 2019.
Resources and Documents
Development Extractives Governance Inter-Religious Dialogue Land rights Peace Processes Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Burundi Democratic Republic of Congo Great Lakes and East Africa Region South Sudan Uganda