INTERVIEW WITH ARCHBISHOP PASINYA OF KISANGANI, D. CONGO

Lisbon (Fides Service) - "Our aim is to form a Europe-Africa partnership based on active, authentic and real solidarity" . Archbishop Laurent Monsengwo Pasinya of Kisangani, Democratic Congo said this in an interview with Fides Service at the end of a Conference of African and European Catholic Bishops in Lisbon, Portugal 27 and 28 February. The Conference, "Africa and European Union, Partners in Solidarity - the Contribution of the Churches " was promoted by the Commission of European Catholic Bishops' Conferences COMECE with the Symposium of Bishops' Conferences of Africa and Madagascar SECAM and the Bishops' Conference of Portugal.

What was the goal of the Conference?
We organised the Conference in view of a third Summit of civil leaders of the European Union and Africa, scheduled for April, but later postponed. Our main concern was a spiritual and cultural discussion, since so much is said today about matters of economy. We are convinced that processes of globalisation as they are cannot guarantee the world a better future, there must also be globalisation of dialogue and mutual respect between cultures. On this matter the Catholic Church has a lot to say because dialogue with cultures has always been part of her work of evangelising cultures without damaging them, indeed protecting them. In fact one of the greatest risks of the present day tendency to integration is that cultures will be lost, overpowered by the strong western culture.

Matters of economy are of course important for Africa where development and progress are still slow. How was this theme discussed?
Certainly the problems of development must not be overlooked and our Conference indicated certain priorities. First of all efforts to eliminate the burden of poor countries' international debts, begun in 2000, the Great Jubilee, must continue. Secondly, the funds saved in this manner must be used effectively for development, particular to guarantee education and health care. Consequently, and this was the third point identified, we must encourage the civil society to intervene in public life with criticism, suggestions, forms of watching and control over government policies and activity. Europe can do much to help Africans organise associations and bodies for popular participation, indispensable for any modern democracy.
We also discussed NEPAD, an association set up in 2001 by heads of states of South Africa, Nigeria Senegal, Algeria and Egypt, with the purpose of giving development "an African path". We all agreed that the initiative is positive, although care must be taken to ensure that sight of the original goal, to insert Africa into the dynamics of globalisation, is not lost. However, we Catholic Bishops of Africa and Europe, sustain NEPAD to the extent that African leaders recognise their past errors and decide at last to take the path for development. In fact NEPAD can create an African market of no less than 700 million and this is the only way we can prevent Africa being squashed by stronger economies.

One of the tragedies facing Africans everywhere is AIDS. It is estimated that some 25.3 million, that is 8.5% of the entire population of the continent is HIV positive. What did the Conference have to say in this regard?
We agreed that the problem of the HIV/AIDS pandemic cannot be treated only as a problem of sexual behaviour. The customs and beliefs of all peoples must be respected. Not to be forgotten either is the price of life saving drugs. In this regard we call on governments and companies to make these drugs available to all AIDS sufferers, and in this way they will give hope to millions.

The international community is deeply concerned about the threat of a war on Iraq. What did the Catholic Bishops of Africa and Europe have to say on the matter?
We launched two appeals, one to Iraq to disarm and the other to the international community to use peaceful means to overcome situations of international conflict. War not only brings death and destruction, it is also a waste of precious resources to necessary for the development of peoples struggling daily against dire poverty. LM (Fides Service 3/3/2003 EM lines 57 Words: 699)