Nuncio in Ghana Lauds Caritas Disaster Risk Management Workshop as “practical embodiment” of Safeguarding the Earth

By equipping communities to take ownership of their safety and resilience, the Burkinabe Papal representative said that members of Caritas “are living out the Church's mission of solidarity, subsidiarity, and compassion.”

Organized by Caritas Ghana, the workshop brought together church leaders, facilitators, and participants to strengthen strategies for addressing disaster vulnerabilities in African communities.

In his December 2 remarks, Archbishop Kaboré said that the workshop aligned with broader global and regional frameworks, including the Together We campaign of Caritas Internationalis on Integral Ecology, the Caritas Africa Strategic Framework (2024–2030), and the African Union Disaster Management Plan.

He said the alignments underscore the Church’s commitment to collaborating with civil society, governments, and other stakeholders for the greater good.

The Nuncio encouraged participants at the three-day workshop to approach their task with both technical expertise and a pastoral perspective. “Disaster risk management is about restoring hope and dignity to those most affected,” he said.

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He commended Caritas Africa and Caritas Ghana for organizing the workshop, describing it as a vital initiative that places the good of humanity and the planet at the center of its objectives.

Archbishop Kaboré prayed for the success of the workshop and urged participants to let their discussions bear fruit for the benefit of many. He reaffirmed the Holy See’s support for such initiatives and called for collective responsibility in caring for the earth.

In his opening remarks at the event, Msgr. Pierre Cibambo, President of Caritas Africa, elaborated the mission and responsibility of Caritas as the social pastoral instrument of the Church. “We are Caritas, a social pastoral instrument of the Church and an indispensable dimension of its evangelizing mission,” Msgr. Cibambo said.

He highlighted the organization's role in assisting Bishops in their ministry of charity, attending to the poorest and neediest, responding to humanitarian emergencies, and promoting charity and justice in light of the Gospel and Catholic teachings.

Msgr. Cibambo underlined the significance of the workshop as a “golden opportunity to increase awareness and strengthen capacity” for fulfilling Caritas' mission.

He stressed the importance of accountability to the people served, to supporters, to the Church, and to God, who he said hears “the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth.”

Msgr. Cibambo said that the reflection and sharing on community-led risk reduction at such a workshop “helps us to become more what we strive to be—a Church organization with capillary presence in communities, moved by faith and compassion.”

He emphasized principles of human dignity, pursuit of the common good, participation, and subsidiarity, reminding participants that empowering communities starts from the grassroots.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.