Press Releases and Statements
On Friday, ahead of Pope Leo XIV’s maiden visit to Africa, Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) sent a letter to The Supreme Pontiff (through the Apostolic Nuncio) urging His Holiness to highlight key areas of injustice impacting the region.
Read the Africa Faith and Justice Network’s 2054 End of Year Report: Activity Highlights and Updates
Yesterday, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), with the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), released the joint statement “Brothers and Sisters in Hope: International Assistance and Mutual Solidarity between the Bishops and the Faithful of the United States and Africa.” The statement, centered around Catholic social thought’s key principles, includes a list of values to guide the faithful on how to navigate the current global climate. This statement comes ahead of the “Mass for Solidarity with the Bishops and Faithful of Africa” to be held on February 4th in Washington, DC.
We are writing to bring to your attention the grave humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the Rwandan government has been violating the country’s territorial integrity. The Rwandan military has been using the March 23 (M23) rebel group, a Congolese Tutsi-led movement, to occupy key areas, including the recent occupation of North Kivu capital, Goma on January 23, 2025. This is the latest in a series of violent aggressions since M23 resumed its armed conflict against the DRC in early 2022.
The Africa Faith and Justice Network was mentioned in Sr. Jecinter Olweny and Fr. Isaac Ojok’s “UGANDA: Sr. Mary Lilly Driciru Eulogized for her Commitment in Communication Ministry” article in the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) website.
The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) mourns the passing of our dear colleague and friend, Sr. Mary Lilly Driciru, MSMMC (Missionary Sisters of Mary Mother of the Church) who tragically lost her life on November 8, 2025. Sr. Lilly was the AFJN Coordinator for the Women Empowerment Project (WEP) in Uganda and a dedicated advocate for justice, peace, and human rights.
There is growing concern of United States (US) military intervention in Nigeria, after President Donald Trump’s weekend Truth Social posts calling for the redesignation of Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC). Given the complexity of Nigeria’s insecurity over the last fifteen years, and the US public’s apprehension for foreign military engagements, AFJN strongly advises against US intervention (especially military intervention) as these actions have the potential to destabilize the country and region.
Despite claims of progress, the situation on the ground shows continued violence and increasing signs of de facto partition, in defiance of international appeals for respect of DRC’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Friday, the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Government of the Republic of Rwanda (Rwanda), facilitated by the United States of America (US), signed the “Peace Agreement between the [DRC] and [Rwanda]” marking the most recent attempt to bring peace to a region whose peoples have been suffering for three decades as governments, rebels, and military factions fight over the rights of critical minerals and land.
Today, the Catholic Church mourns the loss of the beloved Pope Francis. His rather sudden passing comes after a short greeting in St. Peter’s Square following the Easter Sunday Mass.
Read the Africa Faith and Justice Network’s 2024 End of Year Report: Activity Highlights and Updates
Today, the Catholic Task Force on Africa (CTFA), a group of organizations and individuals collaborating on just US-Africa relations centered on Catholic social thought, issued the following statement in recognition of International Women’s Day. Celebrated annually on March 8, International Women’s Day is a global occasion that honors the achievements of women in social, economic, cultural, and political fields. The CTFA urgently calls for the support and uplifting of women across Africa. CTFA, as an organization committed to justice and equality, stands in solidarity with African women calling for meaningful action to support policies that uplift and protect them.
Today, the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) was one of over 100 civil society organizations that endorsed the “International Women’s Day 2025: Statement Prepared by Soroptimist International and the Conference of Non-Governmental Organizations in Consultative Relationship with the United Nations (CoNGO)” that highlights the threat of artificial intelligence (AI) to women and girls.
Washington, DC – On January 31, 2025, the Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) issued a call to action, sending a letter “Urgent Call for U.S. Action Against Rwanda’s Violation of DRC’s Territorial Integrity” to the United States (US) Secretary of State, and members of Congress. The letter appeals for immediate U.S. intervention to alleviate the escalating humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), sparked by worsening hostilities between the DRC armed forces and the Rwandan army allied to the M23 armed group. This crisis has intensified following M23’s takeover of Goma and expansion into South Kivu, prompting AFJN to warn of a looming “grave and humanitarian crisis” if the U.S. does not act.
We are writing to bring to your attention the grave humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where the Rwandan government has been violating the country’s territorial integrity. The Rwandan military has been using the March 23 (M23) rebel group, a Congolese Tutsi-led movement, to occupy key areas, including the recent occupation of North Kivu capital, Goma on January 23, 2025. This is the latest in a series of violent aggressions since M23 resumed its armed conflict against the DRC in early 2022.
On January 20, 2025, (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day) President-elect Donald Trump is expected to be sworn into the Office of the President of the United States (US) of America as the 47th President. Many in the African and immigrant communities have expressed concern around President Trump’s immigration priorities and global policies. Ahead of the Inauguration, Dr. Steven Nabieu Rogers, Executive Director of the Africa Faith and Justice Network (a Catholic nonprofit organization focused on US-Africa policies) issued the following statement, in the hope that President Trump will assuage some of these concerns during his Inaugural Address:
On May 30th, “U.S. Department of the Treasury, IRS Announce Direct File as Permanent Free Tax Filing Option, All 50 States and D.C. Invited to Join in Filing Season 2025” in their press release. The Africa Faith and Justice Network, was one of the 256 organizations who signed the Coalition for Free and Fair Filing’s letter calling to expand and make permanent the IRS Direct File.
Read the Africa Faith and Justice Network’s 2023 End of Year Report: Activity Highlights & Activities
The Africa Faith and Justice Network urges Senegal’s President Macky Sall to honor the original election date of February 25, 2024.
Today, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held an emergency meeting to discuss the coup in the Republic of Niger (Niger). This meeting followed the unsuccessful August 8th attempt to send an ECOWAS’ tripartite delegation to meet with military authorities in Niger. Since the July 26 coup, ECOWAS has held several meetings “to deploy all measures in order to restore constitutional order in Niger” prior to using military force. The United States, while reluctant to declare a coup, has been in communication with the ousted President and the junta leaders hoping for a peaceful resolution and restoration of constitutional order.
