Bishops of Africa and Europe: “Africa Needs Justice, Not Charity”

Ahead of the European Union Foreign Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for May 21, the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE) have issued a joint statement expressing deep concern over what they describe as “a profound shift in European priorities.”

Five years ago, both SECAM and COMECE had expressed optimism about the potential of Africa and Europe to revitalize multilateral cooperation by strengthening their long-standing ties – ties rooted in shared history and geographical proximity.

However, in a statement released on May 15, the two Bishops’ Conferences lament a concerning redirection of attention “away from solidarity with the most fragile regions and communities” towards a focus on “a more narrowly defined set of geopolitical and economic interests.”

The bishops argue that Europe’s current approach reflects a regression to “patterns of the past,” where “European corporate and strategic aims” take precedence over “the real needs and aspirations of African people.”

They warn that vital resources, land, water, seeds, and minerals, are once again being commodified primarily for foreign profit.

The African continent, they assert, is being compelled to put its ecosystems and communities at risk to help Europe achieve its decarbonization targets.

Land deals framed as green energy initiatives and the offloading of industrial agriculture’s toxic inputs and waste to Africa are, according to the statement, “not partnership. This is not justice.”

The joint statement draws inspiration from Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’, which highlights the interconnected cries of the Earth and the poor.

The bishops note that these cries are “loud and clear across Africa” and reflect the injustices resulting from an imbalanced relationship between Europe and Africa.

They point to the mounting impact of climate change, biodiversity loss, and soil degradation, stressing that hunger in Africa continues to rise “not because we lack food, but because we have allowed systems to dominate that put profit above people.”

SECAM and COMECE are urging EU Foreign Ministers, as they prepare to meet in Brussels, to center the “dignity of African peoples” in the African Union-European Union (AU-EU) partnership.

A major focus of their call is the protection and promotion of farmer-managed seed systems, which they describe as “the key to food sovereignty.”

The statement moves beyond rhetoric, offering concrete recommendations. Among them is a call for an immediate ban on the export and use of Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Africa.

The bishops highlight the hypocrisy of allowing chemicals banned in Europe to be manufactured and sold to African farmers. “This double standard must end,” they insist.

The statement closes with a firm declaration: “Africa does not need charity.” What is required, the bishops emphasize, is justice, grounded in “mutual respect, environmental stewardship, and the centrality of human dignity.”

COMECE and SECAM conclude by urging AU and EU leaders to “rise to this moment” and engage with African civil society, Indigenous peoples, and faith communities, not as symbolic participants, but as “equal co-creators of policy.”