The Anglican Alliance and Christian Aid have launched a new partnership, harnessing church networks to tackle climate change, conflict, and humanitarian disasters.
The Anglican Alliance and Christian Aid have signed a new three year partnership agreement that will see them working together to tackle extreme poverty. The joint work will focus on global advocacy while also gaining traction on the ground by collaborating in specific countries, starting in Bangladesh, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with other countries to follow.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby commented: “I welcome this new partnership between Christian Aid and the Anglican Alliance. It builds on their shared vision, working globally with churches and others to tackle poverty and injustice, reflecting the Gospel priority of a bias for the poor.”
Background to this new partnership
Conceived at the 2008 Lambeth Conference of Bishops, the Anglican Alliance was formally established in 2011. It is mandated to provide a convening platform for development, relief and advocacy work across the churches and agencies of the global Anglican Communion.
Christian Aid is the official development and humanitarian agency of the British and Irish churches, and has worked through partnerships since 1945 to overcome poverty, by addressing its underlying causes.
The Anglican Alliance and Christian Aid have collaborated on various issues over many years, including the climate crisis and faith-based responses to HIV and AIDS. They have also worked jointly on humanitarian and peacebuilding initiatives in South Sudan and DRC.
This new partnership will bring more intentional and strategic focus across the two organisations, mobilising their joint learning, assets and networks. The memorandum of understanding will initially focus on three areas of work:
- helping communities living on the front line of climate change, in particular by helping young people to advocate for stewardship of Creation and for an increase in much needed climate finance for impacted communities.
- supporting churches and their congregations to build resilience and preparedness before disasters strike, building on local expertise.
- shifting beliefs, attitudes and practices to promote equality and reduce violence and conflict.
Executive Director of the Anglican Alliance, Revd Rachel Carnegie, said: “The Anglican Alliance family of churches and agencies is well-placed to address both the causes and symptoms of extreme poverty, listening to and equipping people with skills, knowledge and support.”
Christian Aid CEO Patrick Watt said: “The world faces huge challenges, with climate change and conflict causing real harm to some of the poorest and most vulnerable people. This partnership with the Anglican Alliance will help us meet these challenges, given the community reach of the Anglican Church in many of the countries in which we work, and its track record as a trusted and respected partner. This new agreement stems from our shared values and a history of working together. I look forward to seeing the benefits on the ground as we take our collaboration to the next level.”
The two organisations will create a steering group to develop annual plans with agreed targets and regular reviews.
Left to right in the photo below are Patrick Watt, Revd Rachel Carnegie, Anglican Alliance Vice-Chair Bishop Michael Beasley and Christian Aid Trustee Revd Giles Fraser.
