The final report from the conference in Monrovia, Liberia held in June underscores the need for "urgent action" around food security, climate change, peace, human rights and a number of other issues posing challenges for the West Africa region. The report also affirmed the faith community's responsibility to work with governments and organizations to find solutions to these problems.
The report was the final document from West African Church leaders who held Conference on "Climate Change, Human Rights, Peace and Security" from 15-20 June in Monrovia, Liberia. It was sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in West Africa (FECCIWA) and the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), the conference included church leaders, experts and other representatives from the AACC, the World Council of Churches, and the German Church Development Service.
The report highlighted the problem of extreme poverty, security, and climate change affecting the lives of ordinary people. And have condemned bad governance, and systematic corruption well attended by all 13 member states of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The report says such things are frustrating efforts of attaining the prospects of the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
MDGs include reducing extreme poverty, reducing child mortality rates, fighting disease epidemics such as AIDS, and developing a global partnership for development. It was eight international development goals that 192 United Nations member states and at least 23 international organizations have agreed to achieve by the year 2015.
In order to solve a long term food crisis, the Church leaders therefore call upon West African governments to take urgent steps in investing 10 percent of national budget to rural development; to increase smallholders and women farmers. And easier access among the nations in trade.
They also said international community must hold a World Food Summit so as to deal with the ongoing food crisis in many countries. And call On World Trade Organisation (WTO) to support the creation of attractive domestic markets that allow small-farmer participation.
On Small Arms proliferation, it asks ECOWAS member states to ratify and domesticate international and regional instruments on Small arms management and security and have ask them to create national commissions for greater control.
They also ask United Nations to support weaker nations in capacity building; they ask development partners and donor community to continue to support ECOWAS Small Arms Control Program. And to partner with faith-based organisations such as AACC, FECCIWA, etc in execution of related programs.
On Climate change, the African Church leaders have asked West African states to developt an International Engement Strategy that puts pressure on the industrialized countries, primarily responsible for historic emissions to compenstate for the adverse effects of climate change on all affected countries, groups and people.
They have called upon the West African states to establish and implement national climate change strategies.
The African leaders call upon international community that over-emitters should compensate those who save on emissions; and they said countries with more emissions to demonstrate political will and honour their commitments under the United Nations Forum for Climate Change.
The report said: "We call upon all the peoples, organisations and institutions that share our vision and focus to accompany us as we mobilize our collective political, social, spiritual and economic resources in the process of transformation towards addressing the emerging issues and challenges relation to Water and Food Security, Climate Change, Peace and Security, including Child Trafficking."
They said: "Being conscious of the fact that we are unable to implement our plans as formulated without the power of the Triune God, we call upon all the people of faith to pray and work with us, so that we can achieve our set objectives."
The conference was also graced by Liberian first woman President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf who opened the conference at First United Methodist Church in Monrovia. Church World Service (CWS) Executive Director John McCullough also presented the keynote address.