International Development
The Archbishop of Canterbury's role as a figure of unity of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which is represented in over 130 countries, means that he is in a unique position to bring the needs and voices of those facing poverty, disease and the effects of conflict, to the attention of national and international policy makers and donor agencies. The Archbishop monitors the situation in countries across the Anglican Communion and often speaks out on issues of peace, poverty and justice.
The Archbishop of Canterbury's International Development Secretariat (IDS) has been operational since 2005, and works on his behalf to build relationships between Anglican partners, and Christian and secular organisations in the development world, to facilitate community-based development and peace building. It seeks to help governments, UN agencies and international NGOs understand how they can work more effectively with Anglican partners and other faith-based organisations on development issues.
The department places a priority on collaborating with other Christian organisations in the field to do joint visits, training and programme development.
IDS is involved a number of community development programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on education, but also peace building, micro-finance and HIV programmes. It also works to support Communion-wide advocacy on the Millennium Development Goals and other issues through the work of the Anglican Observer to the United Nations and the newly formed Anglican Alliance.
Global Advocacy for poverty and justice issues
As head of the Church of England and a focus for unity in the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury has many opportunities to speak out on poverty and justice issues and to convene Anglican leaders and leaders of other faiths on this issue in the UK and internationally.
The International Development Secretariat (IDS) works to strengthen the existing advocacy work carried out by mission and development agencies and by church leaders themselves.
"The challenge for the church is for us to let the voices be heard in high places."
- Edward Malecdan, Bishop of Northern Philippines
"When you talk about peace that's a political statement. When you talk about justice that's a political statement. Politics and religion are interwoven, the sacred and the human are seen as one stream which flows from one another."
- The Most Reverend Thabo Makgoba, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town
Recent items relating to International Development are shown below:
October 2011
Archbishop's message to Cor Unum meeting on famine crisis in Horn of Africa
5 October 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, sent the following message to the meeting on the famine…
September 2011
Archbishop's sadness at death of Wangari Maathai
30 September 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has expressed his sadness on learning of the death of…
Archbishop's statement on devastating floods in Pakistan
28 September 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has made the following statement regarding the recent…
Archbishop hosts launch of USPG's Hands on Health
26 September 2011
USPG Anglicans in World Mission launched their new health programme Hands on Health at Lambeth Palace…
July 2011
Archbishop’s urgent appeal for the Horn of Africa
28 July 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury has made an urgent appeal for donations to emergency relief activities in…
Archbishop hosts South Sudan roundtable
15 July 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, hosted a roundtable meeting on South Sudan today at…
April 2011
Archbishops of Canterbury and Congo Urge for Global Action on World Malaria Day 2011
25 April 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, and the Archbishop of the Democratic Republic of the…
March 2011
'Silent no more': Faith leaders, aid agencies and the church speak out against sexual violence
21 March 2011
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, today welcomed senior church leaders and international…
January 2011
Archbishop calls for prayer for Sudan Referendum
7 January 2011
In advance of the Sudan Referendum on Southern Independence on Sunday 9th January, the Archbishop of…
December 2010
New Director announced for The Anglican Alliance: Development, Relief and Advocacy
14 December 2010
The former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK's Department of International Development,…