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:
May 2008
Archbishops call on UN for mediation and protection in Zimbabwe
29 May 2008
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of Cape Town yesterday spoke to Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary…
December 2007
Climate Change Action a Moral Imperative for Justice
19 December 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has said that the case for action on climate change is…
November 2007
Video Message for World Aids Day 2007
28 November 2007
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said churches need to be brave, imaginative and honest…
March 2007
Reflections on Angola, Africa and the Communion
17 March 2007
Transcript of an interview conducted by Dan Damon for the BBC Radio World Service programme Reporting…
March 2006
Transcript of Archbishop's BBC Interview with Sir David Frost in Sudan
5 March 2006
The Archbishop visited southern Sudan, to offer support to Christian communities and to those projects…
July 2005
Archbishop - Education crucial to Africa
20 July 2005
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has urged the development of university education in…
Archbishop to visit Burundi, 15-21 July 2005
14 July 2005
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, will preach at the enthronement service of the Rt Revd…
June 2005
Faith leaders G8 appeal to Prime Minister
29 June 2005
Senior religious leaders from three faiths - Christianity, Judaism and Islam - have come together to…
London Forum on G8 - 'action on poverty needed now'
29 June 2005
A group of UK and US church leaders has called for decisive action and firm commitment on poverty from…
Archbishop's Presidential Address - 13th Meeting of the Anglican Consultative Council
20 June 2005
An address by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at the 13th Meeting of the Anglican Consultative…