WCC NEWS - Faith leaders advocate for economic justice at UN Preparatory Committee in Addis Ababa

A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) attended the first United Nations Preparatory Committee (Prep Com) session for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) held in Addis Ababa 22-26 July. The delegation included Rev. Suzanne Matale and Brian Muyunga, who played key roles in advocating for fair financial systems and youth involvement. Photo:WCC 02 August 2024 Brian Muyunga, WCC executive committee member, Young People in the Ecumenical Movement commissioner, and All Africa Conference of Churches youth executive, delivered a speech emphasizing the impact of debt on young people. "Borrowing has changed from being a tool for sustainable development to a major barrier to national wellbeing,” he said. “We have heard in this session that several developing countries spend more on debt servicing than on healthcare.”  Debt has become a challenge passed on from one generation to another. We call for major reforms in the debt architecture to ensure borrowing for development is fair and just," Muyunga added. Rev. Suzanne Matale, who serves on the WCC Commission on World Mission and Evangelism, contributed her expertise to an ecumenical strategy roundtable co-organized by the WCC. She called on churches to advocate for tax justice, including through the ecumenical Zacchaeus Tax campaign.  “Taxation matters to the people on the streets of our countries, the ordinary woman selling on the roadside to feed her family. Tax is the bloodline of any nation because it creates ladders of opportunities for good and lasting service delivery to its people,” Matale said.  Tewaney Yohannes, of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church Development and Inter-Church Aid Commission, reflected on the meeting: "The discussions provided a deep understanding of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development agenda and the role of faith actors in advocating for financial balance and debt forgiveness. It underscored the need for strong advocacy networks." "The WCC's participation in the Prep Com underlines the importance of churches in advocating for a more equitable, caring, and sustainable economic system,” said Athena Peralta, director of the WCC Commission on Climate Justice and Sustainable Development. “As the FfD4 approaches, the WCC and its partners remain committed to call for a New International Financial and Economic Architecture that prioritizes the needs of the most vulnerable populations.”  The roundtable brought together a diverse group of ecumenical and interfaith actors, including representatives from the Lutheran World Federation, Norwegian Church Aid, and Christian Aid. The discussions centered on key issues such as debt, tax justice, and climate finance, with the intention of developing a common ecumenical strategy for the FfD4 process. Sustainability and Economy of Life Zacchaeus Campaign for Tax Justice and Reparations See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland