Angola, São Tomé and Príncipe Catholic Bishops Cite Moral Decline, Weak Institutions as Deepening Social Crisis Drivers

Luanda, 23 November, 2025 / 8:48 PM

Members of the Bishops' Conference of Angola and São Tomé and Príncipe (CEAST) have warned that moral decline, weak institutions, and the prioritization of private interests over the common good are deepening the countries’ social and political crisis.

Presenting the Commitment Charter from the recently concluded National Reconciliation Congress at a press conference in Luanda on November 22, CEAST President, Archbishop José Manuel Imbamba, said that Angola requires a unified and sustained national effort to address the structural weaknesses undermining social cohesion.

Archbishop Imbamba explained that the conclusions contained in the Charter arose from a broad consultative process involving dialogues, testimonies, and reflections gathered during the November 6–9 congress.

According to the Catholic Archbishop, “the insufficiency of civic responsibility, the political instrumentalization of institutions, and the normalization of impunity” were identified as causes perpetuating tensions, inequalities, and cycles of social and political violence.

He denounced the “persistent expressions of disrespect for human dignity,” manifested in practices of exclusion, hostile rhetoric, and attitudes that undermine dialogue. 

“These tendencies have weakened national cohesion and fueled a culture of distrust, hindering the construction of consensus and effective reconciliation,’ the Local Ordinary of Angola’s Catholic Archdiocese of Saurimo said.

He called on the State, institutions, and all social actors to take responsibility for “restoring historical truth, promoting justice, and cultivating an environment in which every citizen feels respected and recognized as an integral part of the nation,” affirming that sustainable peace depends on this collective commitment.

“The persistence of untreated wounds and silence surrounding defining episodes of recent history prevent national healing and prolong feelings of pain and resentment,” Archbishop Imbamba said, emphasizing that reconciliation requires “transparency, truth, and moral courage.” 

He underscored the need to confront past wrongs without fear, creating the foundations for a future in which suffering and losses are acknowledged and honored with dignity.

The CEAST President faulted the inadequacy of existing mechanisms for accountability, arguing that durable peace is impossible without credible processes of truth, justice, and reparation. 

To this end, he proposed replacing the government-led CIVICOP (Commission for the Implementation of the Reconciliation Plan) with an independent Truth and Reconciliation Commission composed of church bodies, civil society organizations, and respected national figures.

Archbishop Imbamba further recommended the establishment of a national program for documenting and preserving memory, including testimonies from victims and families, independent archives, community support centers, and peace education hubs. 

He called for public policies promoting dialogue and tolerance, as well as mechanisms to provide compensation or symbolic reparations for victims of past violence.

The CEAST President underscored the need for an independent body to monitor the implementation of the Congress’ proposals, ensuring that recommendations produce real change rather than remain theoretical. 

He emphasized the need for ethical formation for political, economic, and religious leaders, warning that the country’s “moral renewal depends on the integrity of those in positions of power.”

Archbishop Imabamba also encouraged the revival of traditional Angolan practices of community-based conflict resolution, arguing that reconciliation must be both institutional and cultural. 

Local communities, he said, should be “empowered to cultivate practices of listening, mediation, forgiveness, and relational healing.”

“National reconciliation is not an isolated act but a path that requires daily commitment, sincere truth, and the will to build a country for all,” Archbishop Imbamba said.