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SECAM realized the three-day seminar in partnership with the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development (DPIHD), German Catholic Bishops’ Misereor, the Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Mosaiko Institute for Citizenship, the Centre d’Etudes pour l’Action Sociale (CEPAS), Denis Hurley Peace Institute (DPHI), and the Catholic Peacebuilding Network of Notre Dame University.

During the three-day seminar that concluded on March 10, the Secretary General of SECAM says in his Press Release dated March 11, participants deliberated “upon the critical nexus between natural resource exploitation and conflicts within the African continent.”

He says that the participants “identified key challenges associated with mining and natural resource exploitation on the continent. They also exchanged experiences regarding the Church's existing responses to these challenges within certain Episcopal Conferences and regions worldwide.”

Additionally, Fr. Simbine continues, the participants examined “theological reflections” regarding extractive industries, and their “legal frameworks and regulations ... as well as strategies for future endeavors aimed at addressing the multifaceted challenges associated with these situations, particularly conflicts and their ramifications stemming from the exploitation of natural resources.”

During the SECAM seminar in Accra, the 40 participants recalled the Holy Father’s appeal during his visit to DRC last year, when he urged the international community to stop plundering the African country’s resources.

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According to SECAM Secretary General, “The participants unanimously echoed the prophetic message” of the Holy Father, who, they recalled, made the “impassioned plea ... ‘Hands off Africa! Stop choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered. May Africa be the protagonist of its own destiny! May Africa, the smile and hope of the world, count for more. May it be spoken of more frequently, and have greater weight and prestige among the nations!’"

“As emphasized by the President of SECAM, the overarching objective is to ensure that Africa's abundant resources contribute to economic development, benefit the majority of its populace, foster peace, and alleviate poverty,” Fr. Simbine says in his March 11 Press Release.

He goes on to highlight the input of the President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference (GCBC), Bishop  Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, who, he says, echoed the sentiments of SECAM President in emphasizing the need to examine the situation in Africa “in light of prevailing circumstances”.

Fr. Simbine also highlights the input from the representatives of the Vatican DPIHD, saying they have called upon the Church in Africa “to bolster its commitment to addressing issues that perpetuate immense suffering, such as conflicts and forced displacements of populations.”

“SECAM extends its heartfelt gratitude to all partners and participants who have demonstrated unwavering commitment to translating the outcomes of this seminar into tangible actions,” the Secretary General of the Accra-headquartered Catholic Bishops’ Symposium says.