AMECEA: Executive Board Holds its First Virtual Meeting
Sr. Jecinter Antoinette Okoth, FSSA
Following the challenges of on-site gatherings due to measures put in place by various States to help curb the spread of Coronavirus, the Executive Board of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) which draws members from the eight member conferences within the region managed to have their first meeting for the year 2020 on Thursday, November 19.
According to AMECEA statutes, the board which supervises the activities of AMECEA on behalf of the Assembly is mandated to hold meetings twice yearly but this year they have managed to have it only once.
The AMECEA Secretary General Fr. Anthony Makunde highlighted that the Thursday board meeting was to allow the Bishop delegates receive and discuss the reports from the Secretariat and its departments and from AMECEA institutions so as to understand how operations have been going on during the pandemic period.
“Regardless of Covid-19 pandemic in the region, AMECEA Secretariat has been fully in operation, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) also managed to adapt to virtual learning while observing the regulations by government and Ministry of Health,” Fr. Makunde narrated.
Concerning Covid-19 pandemic, the Secretariat through Pastoral department have been offering spiritual and psycho-social support through radio programs to communities within the member conferences; it has also supported conferences to have virtual conferencing equipment with support from USCCB-CCC.
Besides, the Executive board received reports on issue of social political situation in the region, including elections in member countries which is Tanzania and Malawi and also those preparing for election that is Uganda and Eritrea.
The board also received report on the progress of the Gitanga Mixed project which was initiated to give the association future financial sustainability.
The board members appreciated AMECEA partners who have managed to support programs even during the pandemic period even though they were more affected by the virus, such as the USCCB, Mission Aachen and GHR Foundation.
The next board meeting will take place in May 2021.
