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:
February 2009
Mugabe has ruined Africa's beacon of hope
25 February 2009
Churches in Zimbabwe are working to feed and heal a nation abandoned by its leaders. A joint article…
Zimbabwe Appeal - BBC interview transcript
25 February 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, and The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, spoke with…
Archbishop's new Secretary for International Development
18 February 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, is delighted to appoint the Revd Rachel Carnegie to…
January 2009
Archbishop meets with relief and development practitioners
22 January 2009
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, met last week with an invited group of relief and development…
November 2008
Archbishop's World AIDS Day 2008 video
30 November 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has recorded a video message to mark the 20th annual…
September 2008
Archbishop calls for greater co-operation to meet MDGs
24 September 2008
On the eve of the United Nations General Assembly meeting on Millennium Development Goals in New York,…
July 2008
Keep the Promise - Millennium Development Goals
24 July 2008
The Archbishop's speech, given at Lambeth Palace after the Walk of Witness, prior to an address by the…
International Development on the agenda at the Lambeth Conference
24 July 2008
The Lambeth Conference is one of the global Anglican Communion's Instruments of Communion. The current…
'Millennium Development Goals' BBC Radio 4 Today Programme interview
24 July 2008
The Archbishop discusses the Millennium Development Goals on the BBC Radio 4 Today Programme.
June 2008
Archbishop and Religious Leaders call for Cooperation to Combat Poverty and Achieve Millennium Development Goals
9 June 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, today hosted religious leaders of different faiths…