Nearly 2 million people lobby against global warming

At COP21, the UN climate summit in Paris, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba joined other members of the international ecumenical grouping, the ACT Alliance, in handing over petitions signed by 1,7 million people, urging political leaders to take decisive action to curb global warming and deliver a strong, fair deal that helps poor countries adapt to their changing climate.

In the photo below with Archbishop Thabo is Christiana Figueres, who as executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change is the UN's top official dealing with the issue.

Photo: Sean Hawkey/WCC

Congratulations to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

A letter of congratulations to Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka

My dear Phumzile

I was grateful for the opportunity to speak with you on the phone earlier this week, and offer my personal congratulations on your new position.

But let me now, with great joy, formally join my own congratulations, with those of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, on your appointment as Executive Director for ‘UN Women’, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women.

May our God who has given you so many gifts, and such rich experiences in life, now guide, direct and further equip you in this new calling. May he, who creates men and women equally in his image, enable you to contribute to the freeing of women and girls around the world from all that holds them back, so they may know freedom to pursue their own potential. May he bless you richly in this new chapter of your life, and make you a blessing to others.

Yours in the service of Christ

+Thabo Cape Town

Africa Day Letter to Archbishop of Sudan

On Africa Day, 25 May 2011, Archbishop Dr Thabo Makgoba, wrote this open letter to his colleague, the Most Revd Daniel Deng Bul Yak, the Archbishop of the Sudan

My Dear Brother in Christ,

I write to assure you of our support and prayers for you and the people of the Episcopal Church of Sudan and indeed all the people of the Sudan, especially in the light of the latest attack on Abyei.

I also call on the international community, including South Africa, to bring diplomatic pressure on the government of Sudan to stop the use of force and violence by forces loyal to it in Abyei and to support appeals for emergency relief for the victims of this conflict.

When conflict and violence subsides I would hope that both Sudan and South Sudan will allow a democratic process to determine the place of Abeyi in the new dispensation soon to take place.

I call upon UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to continue to address the situation most urgently through the UN Security Council so that this current crisis will not postpone the formation of Africa’s newest state.

Issued by the Office of the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town Inquiries: Wendy Tokata on 021- 763-1320 (office hours)