ETHIOPIA: Church Discusses Impact of Recent Political Reforms
The Ethiopian Catholic Church Partner’s Coordination meeting has been held on November 6 – 7, 2018 in Addis Ababa under the theme “The Impact of the Political Reform in Ethiopia on the Social Development and Institutional Sustainability”
of the Ethiopian Catholic Church
Social and Development Commission
(ECCSDCO
According to Mr. Bekele Moges, Executive Director of the Ethiopian Catholic Church Social and Development Commission (ECCSDCO), this theme was selected for the 2018 Coordination meeting to assess the challenges and opportunities on the services of the Church as a result of the changes that are taking place in the country. He explained that participants came together from all the Dioceses to a a meeting with partners, to discuss how the Church can further contribute for a brighter future of the country.
Mr. Bekele concurred with the resource person during the meeting who highlighted the education system which was not tuned on the moral and ethical behavior of the children as the root cause of some of the problems witnessed in the country. He said that since the Catholic Church owns more than 400 schools in Ethiopia, She could play a greater role in addressing this problem.
Participants also discussed the problem of 2.8 million internally displaced people in Ethiopia, which is due to occasional conflicts in different parts of the country. According to the Executive Director, the Catholic Church is currently assisting the displaced people by providing them with food, shelter, non-food items and some basic needs in collaboration with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Ethiopia and other partners.
singing at the opening of the meeting
Bekele also stressed that reconciliation is the most important part of the rehabilitation. Therefore, the role of the Church in the process of peace building is discussed in the meeting because the Catholic Church recognizes the importance of peace and reconciliation for a sustainable peace.
The Ethiopian Catholic Secretariat’s Justice and Peace Department has so far achieved exemplary results in building peace and reconciliation among different communities in different parts of the country by working together with local authorities, Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia and other faith based organizations.
∽End∽
By Makeda Yohannes, Communications Coordinator, ECS
