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Visiting Madagascar in partnership with the Catholic Spiritan brotherhood and the non-government organization Geneva for Human Rights last week, the World Council of Churches (WCC) delegation explored how the resources shared better equip churches to help women suffering from obstetric fistula – condition which impacts millions of women around the world, particularly in sub-saharan Africa.

World Council of Churches acting general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca extended warmest congratulations to His Holiness Abune Kerlos I, Patriarch of Eritrea upon his election as the fifth Patriarch of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church.

Rev. Fr Dr Lawrence Iwuamadi is dean of the Ecumenical Institute, the graduate school which opened its academic year this week. Below, Iwuamadi reflects on the arrival of new students at the Ecumenical Institute during this remarkable time.

The World Council of Churches (WCC) hosted a delegation from the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church on 12-13 November.

The WCC’s executive committee has welcomed recent reconciliations in Ethiopia and Eritrea. In a statement issued from its 2-8 November meeting in Uppsala, Sweden, the committee also invited further support from member churches for further efforts there.

The Church of Jesus Christ in Madagascar, or Fiangonan'i Jesoa Kristy eto Madagasikara (FJKM), celebrated its 50th anniversary on 18-19 August with events that included a special thanksgiving worship service in Toamasina.

A delegation from the WCC concluded a solidarity visit to the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church, one of Africa’s oldest Christian churches dating back to the year AD 329. It was the first such visit in more than 10 years and the WCC left with a pledge to pray and work for peace between Eritrea and its neighbor Ethiopia as they attempt to resolve a border dispute.

“Statelessness renders people’s vulnerability to abuse and to denial of their rights invisible to national authorities. In this sense the right to a nationality is a threshold issue for access to protection of all other human rights - almost a 'right to have rights'”, said Peter Prove, director of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Commission of the Churches on International Affairs (CCIA), following a regional training workshop on birth registration and gender discriminatory nationality laws in Africa, organized by the WCC in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 11–13 May.

The WCC has acknowledged with regret and sympathy the news of the death of Diyoskoros, Eritrean Orthodox bishop of Seraye, following the announcement of his passing on 21 December by the Eritrean government’s ministry of information.

The plenary on justice at the WCC 10th Assembly brings into focus the core of its theme “God of life, lead us to justice and peace.” Following on diverse reflections from around the world on Christian unity, Asia and mission, the assembly plenary on 6 November in Busan, Republic of Korea, highlighted struggles for justice.

“The prospect for a religion-based approach to peace-making has a great potential in sub-Saharan Africa,” Dr Yacob Tesfai said presenting his new book Holy Warriors, Infidels and Peacemakers in Africa.