Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana urges “dialogue for sustaining peace” in Africa

The Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana, Archbishop Julien Kaboré, has called for “dialogue and prayer so that Africa can enjoy a solid and sustaining peace”. He launched this call during a visit to the Secretariat of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) on Friday 15 November, 2024.

The Ambassador of the Holy See in Ghana, His Excellency Julien Kaboré, visited the Secretariat of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) on November 15, 2024. The visit was marked by a Eucharist presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio and concelebrated by the Secretary General of SECAM, Fr. Rafael Simbine Junior, and his first and second deputies, respectively Fathers Alfred Bebodu and Jean Germain Rajoelison.

During this diplomatic visit, the Ambassador of the Holy See to Ghana thanked and congratulated the General Secretary and his collaborators for their mission, and then saluted the memory of the founding fathers of SECAM and the memory of all those who have worked at this secretariat of the continental bishops based in Accra, Ghana, with diplomatic status conferred by the Ghanaian government. “May we be instruments for the Church“, declared Archbishop Kaboré to the staffs of this Nunciature and SECAM.

“The priorities of the Nunciature are bilateral relations between the Holy See and the State, but also between the local Church and the Holy See“, said the ambassador. “But given that, by divine providence, the premises of this Apostolic Nunciature and of the SECAM Secretariat are next door to each other, geographically speaking not only in Accra but at only few hundred metres away, we are called upon to collaborate closely“, he pointed out. He added: “Our geographical proximity calls us in some way to a more effective proximity in our work“.

“Building sustaining peace”

The Church everywhere is called upon to “cultivate dialogue between the actors of the society, because it is through dialogue that we can build sustaining peace“, emphasised this prelate who has just taken up his post following his appointment by the Holy Father as Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana on 29 June 2024, followed by his episcopal ordination on 14 September 2024 in St Peter’s Basilica at the hands of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See.

Raised to the dignity of archbishop at the titular see of Milevi on his appointment, Mgr Julien Kaboré is Burkina Faso’s first apostolic nuncio, with his first post in Ghana, a West African country where presidential elections are due to be held in a few weeks’ time, on 7 December 2024. “We hope that these elections will go well“, he said in an interview with SECAM’s communications department.

“Ghana is an example of democracy and stability“, said the archbishop, before declaring: “We hope that this will be confirmed for the good of the whole region“. He then called for prayer, saying: “May we turn to the Virgin Mary, who is the Queen of Peace, and beg her to intercede with her Son, Jesus Christ, so that our region can enjoy a solid and sustaining peace“.

Charles Ayetan