press release
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.
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.
Today, December 4, 2025, Presidents of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda authenticated a long-awaited peace agreement—which many hope will usher in a new era of stability in a region marked by decades of conflict, displacement, and silent suffering. Peace is always worth pursuing. But not all peace agreements are created equal, and some carry within them the seeds of future instability.
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.
In response to this growing incidence of violence in our homes, the injustice against house helpers, and the violations of the rights of children, Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), and Dominicans for Justice and Peace (DJP) in collaboration with representatives of various religious congregations of sisters, Catholic Men Organization (CMO), Catholic Women Organization (CWO), Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria (CYON),and several non-profit organizations gathered from December 10–14, 2022, at the Daughters of Divine Love Retreat and Conference Centre (DRACC) Enugu to learn, analyze, and reflect on this troubling issue under the theme: Violence in Our Homes: Tackling the Rising Incidence of Spousal Murders, and Abuse of Domestic Servants
Washington, DC – The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), a Catholic 501(c)3 organization, sent a letter to US Secretary of State, Antony John Blinken, ahead of his visit to Africa where Secretary Blinken is expected to make a visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. In the letter, AFJN urged Secretary Blinken to hold frank discussions on “Rwanda’s violations of DRC’s territorial integrity, bad governance in the DRC”, and the role of the UN peacekeepers in DRC.
Today, the “COVID Defense Act” was formally introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Mark Pocan. If passed, this act will provide additional resources to ensure global access to vaccines as part of the U.S. national security strategy by rescinding “1.3 percent of total defense spending” and authorizing “the same amount for international COVID vaccine production and distribution.” The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN) calls on Members of Congress to ensure that if passed, the act will also include measures to keep kleptocrats in check through accountability mechanisms.
The Africa Faith & Justice Network, a USA-based NGO comprised of Catholic religious and social justice groups, denounced USA policies of imposing genetically modified (GM) food aid on southern African countries facing severe drought and famine.
