NEWS

EU-Africa partnership, COMECE gathers religious actors and policy-makers

COMECE and Caritas Europa hosted a dialogue meeting with faith-based actors and policy-makers in preparation of the 5th EU-Africa Summit that will take place in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in November 2017.

(Credit: COMECE)

Stakeholders from the United Nations, African Union, European External Action Service, European Parliament, European Commission, as well as the Estonian Council Presidency and faith-based actors from the field, discussed three key policy areas: Youth, Women and Families, Peace and Migration, and Policy Coherence for Development.

For COMECE, integral human development is a key principle for empowering young men and women to contribute to the sustainable growth of their families and communities. Granting equal access to quality education, vocational training and decent work is crucial for giving them a future perspective.

Putting the human person at the centre of the policy also implies the development of a sustainable global approach to human mobility focusing on tackling the root causes and providing adequate legal and safe pathways.

Churches and religious communities, as long-standing grassroots actors, are on the frontline in the provision of development assistance, social services, healthcare and education.

During the meeting, several faith-based participants pleaded for equal and non-discriminatory access to EU funding for their charitable activities.

COMECE will continue to accompany the development in the run up to the EU-Africa Summit in conjunction with SECAM.

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Photo Gallery of the event