In order to create a platform for religious communities to engage with African Union policy makers in a structured partnership, the African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) are working to sustainably re-establish the African Union Interfaith Dialogue Forum. The Forum’s active steering committee has just met for the second time from 28-30 August, 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya, where it has consolidated work on its fundamental principles, structure and plans.

At the opening of each day of the meeting in Nairobi, a different member of the group of 12 representatives of Africa’s religious communities led a reflection, either from a particular religion balanced by an reflection from another, or an interfaith composition, asking for wisdom and support from the creator to guide the group’s efforts.

The shapes of worship offered by the group reflected the different roles they fulfil as members of the African Union Interfaith Dialogue Forum (AU-IFDF)’s Steering Committee. Nominated from among their peers at the larger Forum, some are religious leaders and others secular spokespeople, but all are here to represent the diversity of religious communities of each of the five regions of Africa and create the basis for a new, focused channel for communication between them and policy makers at the African Union.

During an intensive workshop, the group followed through by unpacking an Action Plan set out by the AU-IFDF when it was re-launched last year – a set of desired steps for cooperation between faith communities and policy-making bodies – into an actionable proposal for a six-year strategic plan and organizational structure.

The Steering Committee’s second meeting since its appointment is part of the long-term partnership between KAICIID and the African Union, represented by its Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO).The two international organizations share a strong mutual interest in promoting an agenda of peace, cooperation and development in the region in which religious and faith-based communities are able to play a full part, together with other segments of African society. In order to create a platform for religious communities to engage with African Union policy makers in a structured partnership, the AUC and KAICIID re-launched the African Union Interfaith Dialogue Forum in November 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria.

By regularly convening policy makers together with representatives of religious and faith-based communities from across the continent to discuss topics of mutual concern, the AU-IFDF strives to engage both the governmental and religious stakeholders actively in the African Union’s endeavours for peace, justice and human dignity. Its Steering Committee is charged with strengthening the links among interreligious organizations across the continent, building the capacities of the secular and faith-based actors to collaborate, and to map and highlight the contribution and role of religious leaders and faith-based organisation in peace work. It will establish means to communicate the faith-based and traditional communities’ concerns to African Union policy-makers, while promoting support for the African Union’s Agenda 2063 among their members.

“This is an active and meaningful process” said Rev. Professor Eale Bosela, Director at the All African Conference of Churches which hosted the meeting “Our role is critical on our continent. We continue to face many problems. We must stand up for the cause of our faith at a continental level and work hand-in-hand”.

First conceived by the AUC in 2010, it was designed to secure unequivocal commitment to interfaith dialogue by all parties. The initiative was re-launched in November, by the AUC and KAICIID in 2016 in Abuja and attended by more than 80 participants from 27 Member States of the African Union, including religious leaders, policy-makers, civil society representatives, scholars and experts.  

“Interreligious dialogue is an integral component to achieving the African Agenda 2063 global strategy to optimize use of Africa’s resources for the benefit for all Africans” said KAICIID Secretary General Faisal bin Muaammar at the opening of the last forum. He added, “Religious leaders need to have a seat at the dialogue table […] with policymakers, to share joint concerns, and to learn from each other. They need to be able to collaborate, not only among themselves, but with all sectors of society”.

Since the 2016 Forum, the Steering Committee has convened in May 2017 at the Pan African Parliament in Midrand, South Africa,  and in August 2017 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Committee is supported in these meetings by African Union Commission and KAICIID experts. The Nairobi meeting drew upon the Midrand meeting’s success when the Steering Committee set forth the mandate, functions, and terms of reference for the Forum’s members, the modalities of the Steering Committee’s work with the AU. Continuing the process, the Nairobi meeting drafted and consolidated a detailed six-year strategic plan which will be finalized by AUC experts and presented for the approval of the AU-IFDF at its forthcoming biannual gathering. “It has not been easy”, said a participant, “but we can be confident that we have achieved something significant”.