Let’s Embrace Collective Responsibility for Climate Change: SECAM President

“You also know that Benin has just gone through a troubled period, with an attempted coup a few weeks ago… All of this sends messages that go in the wrong direction. And an initiative like that of the Archbishop of Cotonou is precisely about the idea that ‘we are all members of the same family’ and that we should learn to work as brothers and sisters to everyone,” he said.

The Cardinal further said, “How can we create an environment so that we can live in peace with each other, but also with the environment around us, in accordance with the spirituality of Saint Francis of Assisi, Fratelli Tutti.”

The Congolese member of the Order of Friars Minor Capuchin (OFM Cap) further said, “The Cotonou initiative, for us, is the realization of many things—many calls, documents, and declarations—but it is very rare to see someone move from declarations and calls to actual implementation.”

“For me, coming here is first of all to say thank you to Archbishop Roger Houngbédji for this initiative. At the same time, it is an opportunity for me, on behalf of the Church in Africa, to affirm her choice, to say that what she is doing, she is not doing alone; it is also the option of the entire Church in Africa, which aligns with the option of the universal Church,” the Cardinal said.

He invited everyone to embrace this dynamic of a “paradigm shift so that we can conceive of the economy, agriculture, and working with nature as something that must benefit all of God’s children.”

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Let’s Embrace Collective Responsibility for Climate Change: SECAM President

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For the Congolese Cardinal, the most vulnerable and the smallest “must be at the center of concern. That is why the Church wants to promote a solidarity-based economy that takes everyone into account.”

The January 20-22 event that the Catholic Archdiocese of Cotonou organized in collaboration with UCAO-CUWA has brought together researchers, academics, and policymakers from around the world to debate and propose innovative solutions centered on the theme, “Integral Ecology for the Survival and Well-being of Creation.” 

In his welcome remarks, Archbishop Houngbédji emphasized the gravity of the current situation, which reveals the limits of a development model based on the excessive exploitation of natural resources and the neglect of social justice and human fraternity.

“We are here because the situation is serious. Our common home is suffering. The poorest pay the highest price for a development model that forgets limits, justice, and fraternity. Consciences are being called to account,” he added.

He continued, “By hosting this conference, the Church in Benin is assuming its mission, namely: to enlighten consciences, bring together knowledge, and remind everyone that Creation is not a possession but a gift entrusted by the Creator to our vigilance.”

The member of the Order of Preachers (O.P., Dominicans) highlighted Africa’s unique contribution, rooted in its ancestral connection to the land and carrying a wisdom based on balance, harmony with nature, and responsibility toward future generations. 

He urged stakeholders to move beyond mere diagnosis and commit decisively to concrete, transformative actions.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.