Church Development Service - An Association of the Protestant Churches in Germany

Violence against Churches in Sudan

(Geneva, 26.04.2012) "Despite the rhetoric about freedom and protection of minorities by the government of Sudan, threats and discrimination against Christians in Khartoum and its environs are increasing with time" the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) say in a joint statement.

Churches say "No more violence in the name of God"

(Geneva, 05.03.2012) "Before God and our communities, we are responsible to Jews for the historical and ongoing realities of anti-Semitism, to Palestinians since the Nakba, to Muslim neighbours in the light of Islamophobia, to persons who are vulnerable, and to victims of colonial conquest, among others," said participants of a World Council of Churches (WCC) sponsored conference.

Controversy on Homosexuality

(Bonn, 28.02.2012). On 5th December, the Africa departments of the Church Development Service (EED) assessed the different approaches to homosexuality by European and African churches. �We want to take the position of our African partners seriously and at the same time prepare ourselves for discussion and dialogue�, Karin Doehne (Head of Department Africa 1) summarized the intention of the work shop. Werner Kahl, Head of Studies at the Academy of Mission Hamburg, presented theological patterns of interpretation and asked for culture sensitive answers.

African Christian and Muslim religious leaders call on Peace in Nigeria

(Addis Ababa/Nairobi/Lagos/Bonn, 19.01.2012) Christian and Muslim Religious Leaders from various African countries gathered in Addis Ababa from 08.�13.01.2012 to debate on Peace and Development. They call on the Christian and Muslim leadership of Nigeria �to excise maximum restraint and refrain from making pronouncements and statements that would threaten the unity of that Nation and the spirit of togetherness�, according to a statement disseminated by the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA) on 18.01.2012 in Nairobi.

Villagers protest against worrying laws

(Bonn / Phnom Penh, 22.12.2011) More than 10.000 people from all over Cambodia have signed or thumb printed a petition calling the National Assembly to halt three law drafts worrying civil society in the country. More than 100 villagers from land-dispute communities presented the petition in the national capital of Phnom Penh. All signatures and thumbprints of the petition were presented as a 230 meter long scarf of protest.

Geopolitics and Financial Crisis Change the Architecture of Development Cooperation

(Bonn, 12.12.2011) Assessment of the 4th High Level Conference on Aid Effevtivenss in Busan, South Korea, 29.11. -1.12.2011- A Civil Society Perspective

Expert Meeting on Outcome and Impact Orientation

(Sankt Augustin, 24.06.2011) Between the 24.-27.05.2011 EED invited several of its Local Support Services (LSS) and external consultants from Africa and Asia to Bonn / Sankt Augustin with the purpose to have a joint reflection on international debate on Aid, Development and CSO effectiveness and other subjects.

Church and Society

A travel blog, written by delegates from Nigerian churches while visiting Germany in spring 2011

�The way out of the torrential river�

(Bonn, 06.06.2011) Josephine Goro, head of the Community Development Programme (CCDP) of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN), has been committed to improving the living conditions of people in the villages since many years. With the support of the EED her churchly development programme is helping to establish schools and medical wards, for which she also obligates the villagers themselves. During May and June she was travelling in Germany for two weeks.

All Africa Conference of Churches on challenges of transition

(Nairobi, 15.04.2011) Statement on "The Challenges of Democratic Transitions and Self Determination in Africa" by the All Africa Conference of Churches

Dialogue on Development and Theology

(Bonn / Addis Ababa, 22.02.2011) The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, the Ethiopian Kale Haywet Church and EED have agreed to initiate and conduct a Dialogue on Development and Theology. By end of January 2011, the parties have signed a Letter of Intention to respect the differences of doctrine, traditions and national contexts. They aim to deepen the theological understanding of the actual challenges of development in a globalizing world.

Timid hope at end of climate negotiations in Cancun

(Cancún, 13.12.10) The Cancun Agreement, adopted by the vast majority of parties at the United Nations climate change conference (COP16) in the early morning hours of 11 December, gives guarded hope to churches and civil society groups who had called for decisive action by the world's governments. In an improvement on the process that led to the much-criticized Copenhagen Accord last year, the president of the conference managed to keep the climate negotiations in the multilateral track and make some, although insufficient, steps forward.

Faith communities stress moral dimension of climate change

(Cancún, 09.12.10) Faith communities came together to address climate change, poverty and sustainable development in a side event jointly organized by Caritas Internationalis, ACT Alliance and the World Council of Churches (WCC) at the Cancun climate summit on 7 December.

Issuance of Toxic Carbon Credits Undermines Credibility of UNFCCC Process

(Cancún, 08.12.2010) An open letter sent by a broad coalition of green groups including CDM Watch, Greenpeace and WWF to the COP Presidency calls to rescind millions of fake HFC-23 CDM credits. Environmentalists claim that the issuance of those credits has put a black mark on the environmental integrity of the CDM and prompted speculation that the UNFCCC process has been hijacked by special interests.

Food for all in a warming world?

(Cancún, 02.12.2010) Around 100 people attended a side event yesterday called "Food for all in warming world? Agricultural systems that enable adaptation and support ecosystems". The event was organised by "Brot für die Welt", Church Development Service from Germany and Practical Action from the UK.

Land deals undermine food security and human rights in Sierra Leone

(Bonn, 29.10.2010) Mohamed Conteh, Director of the NGO "Mankind�s Activities for Development Accreditation Movement" (MADAM) and National Coordinator of the "African Network of the Right for Food", reveals in an EED-Interview, that bio fuels land deals threaten small farmers all over in Sierra Leone. The most current case: A Swiss company plans to invest 200 million Euros to produce ethanol, assisted by the "Deutschen Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft" (DEG), a subsidiary of the state-owned KfW bank.

'Negative Solidarity' - a Challenge to Peace and Development

(Geneva, 08.10.2010) "We will not have the peace we are looking for if we continue to practice 'negative solidarity'," said Johnson Mbillah while addressing the World Council of Churches (WCC) UN Advocacy Week on September 28, 2010. For Mbillah, negative solidarity manifests itself in ways that divide rather than unite Nigerians and impacts all levels of society including how people are elected to public office. Rev. Dr Mbillah, who is the general advisor to the Programme for Christian-Muslim Relations in Africa (PROCMURA) addressed the issue of ethno-religious politics in Nigeria during a session on Conflict and Violence in Nigeria in Geneva.

Christian and Muslim religious leaders advocate for peace

(Lomé / Cotonou, 02.09.2010) Religious leaders of Togo and Benin pleaded for proactive attitudes towards peace and development in two national conferences. The conferences were organized by the Pan-African Organisation for Christian-Muslim Relations PROCMURA.

Human Rights Network commemorates the large number of disappeared in the Philippines

(Essen, 30.08.2010) Over 200 people were disappeared in the Phillippines between 2001 and 2010. In the majority of cases, their fates remain unclear to this day. Their families are desperately waiting for any signs of life. On the occasion of the International Day of the Disappeared on August 30th, the Action Network Human Rights-Philippines is raising awareness of the plight of these victims of enforced dissapearences.

The Solidarity Peace Trust urges action to avoid xenophobic violence in South Africa

(Johannesburg, 12.07.2010) The EED partner organisation Solidarity Peace Trust condemns escalating threats of violence against foreigners in South Africa as the country's successful hosting of the FIFA Soccer World Cup draws to a close.

African Union sets up Interfaith Dialogue Forum

(Addis Ababa / Abuja, 01.07.2010) The African Union (AU) has launched an Interfaith Dialogue Forum to harness the power of religious communities for the integration and development in Africa at a conference with religious leaders from 15 to 17 June 2010 in the Nigerian capital Abuja. It has established a permanent consultative structure to the AU which will meet in every two years.

New Aviation Tax Must Contribute to Climate Justice

(Bonn, 30.06.2010) The recent decisions taken by the German government in order to restore the federal budget also include a tax on air tickets to be levied from 2011. Even though only two percent of the world's population take flights at all, aviation is a significant contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. EED therefore generally welcomes the introduction of an air ticket tax by the German government as a first necessary step. However, the revenue has to benefit the people most affected by climate change: "Climate justice is not clever calculation. The revenue generated by an air ticket tax needs to feed into the UN adaptation fund", said Heinz Fuchs, director of EED's Tourism Watch desk.

Ecumenical visit to Nigeria

(Abuja/Jos, 27.05.2010) An international delegation travelling on behalf of the World Council of Churches (WCC) was welcomed to Abuja by Nigerian church leaders during an ecumenical celebration organized by the Christian Council of Nigeria (CCN) on 16 May 2010. It was the first stop of a four-day visit to Africa's most populous nation as living letters of solidarity. The visit was continued in Plateau state, where more than 500 people were killed in ethnic violence in the early part of 2010. Prelate Ola Makinde, head of the Methodist Church Nigeria, described the visit as an expression of the worldwide solidarity of churches with fellow Christians in Nigeria. He lamented that people in the northern part of the country have been neglected and denied basic rights.

Pastoralists demand "Livestock Keepers� Rights"

(Berlin, 18.05.2010) A delegation of pastoral peoples from Asia and Africa who visited Berlin on 18.05.2010 is demanding recognition and support from the German National Government for its role in conserving biological diversity in the International Year of Biological Diversity. It is calling for implementation of the rights that have been promised to pastoralists and pastoral peoples as the guardians of traditional knowledge and valuable genetic resources through the International Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Christians and Muslims Quest for Peace

(Nairobi, 16.04.2010) PROCMURA has launched a report on conflict prevention and peace building in West Africa under the title �Christians and Muslims Quest for Peace�. It recovers the documentation of an international conference held in Accra, Ghana in July 2009.

Sudan church leader says elections too flawed to be free and fair

(Nairobi, 14.04.2010) The general secretary of the Sudan Council of Churches - an Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic grouping - has said that current national elections in Africa's biggest country do not qualify as free and fair. Sudan Council of Churches is a partner organisation of EED.

CSR � Neither Magic Formula nor Charity

(Bonn, 10/03/2010) The quality of CSR in tourism needs to be debated.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the form of voluntary CSR activities has been taken up by the mainstream tourism industry. More and more tourism enterprises pro-actively showcase their social commitment. Though this may be a welcome development, there is a need to debate the quality of voluntary measures.

Nigeria: Violence destroys lives and displaces 10.000 people

(Bonn, 05.02.2010) EED mourns for the victims of the violent clashes in Jos and Bukuru after January 17, 2010. During the crisis, several lives were lost and houses burnt. Up to 10.000 people are displaced. The ethno-religious conflict in Nigeria roots in deep social and regional disparities. Violence came to an end on January 20, 2010. The Jos based Christian NGO CRUDAN advocates for continual peace dialogues among stakeholders.

EED writes to IMF in support of a global Financial Transaction Tax

(Bonn, 26.01.2010) Until the Feb. 1st, 2010 the IMF is collecting on-line opinions form Civil Society on how banks can contribute in a fair and substantial way to offset the cost of states for their bailing- out the private banks during the financial crisis 2008/2009. See EED's email to the IMF appended. If your Civil society organisation would like to send its point of view to the IMF please do so before Feb. 1st.

Cold Autumn of Development Finance

(Bonn, 18.12.2009) In 2007, even the poorest countries in Africa were on a path of economic growth. They then fell victim to the financial crisis. This paper looks back to the meetings of these global actors in the field of global finances and macro economy, the G20 the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in 2009.

Church in Society and Development

(Monrovia, 07.12.2009) The Liberian Council of Churches (LCC) and the Church Development Service (EED) have held a theological dialogue in Monrovia on December 7, 2009. The Genral Secretary of LCC Dr. Benjamin Lartey highlighted the importance of reflecting on theological implications of development. Students of the Bishop Waren Brown College of Divinity of the AME Zion University claimed for justice and a strong involvement of the churches in the Truth and Reconciliation Process in Liberia.

Religion, Conflict Prevention and Peace Buildung in Westafrica

(Accra, 24.07.2009) Sixty high ranking Muslim and Christian religious leaders have expressed their will to promote reconciliation at a international Conference, held in the capital of Ghana July 20 to 24. They urge the national governments of West Africa and the Economic Community of West Africa (ECOWAS) for reponsible governance and democracy. At the same time they reject religious expansionist policies and the politization of religion. They see the churches as agents of peace and reconciliation.

Ecumenical Solidarity Visit �Living Letters� to the Democratic Republic of Congo

(Bonn, 26.07.2009) Karin Döhne, head of EED department Africa 1 was part of the delegation from the World Council of Churches visiting the Democratic Republic of Congo in July 2009. She summarizes what the group learned on their visit to the provinces of Bas Congo and Kasai Oriental.

Signs of Hope - Development, Conflict and Religion in Northern Nigeria

(Bonn, 15.06.2009) A study analyses the position of Christian development programmes regarding relations between people of different faiths in Nigeria.

New Peace Building Network in Mano-River Region

(Monrovia / Freetown, 09.04.2009) Partners of the Civil Peace Service of the German Protestant Church Development Service (zfd/EED) operating in the Mano-River Region � Sierra Leone and Liberia, concerned about the dire need to consolidate the hard won peace in our post war societies, agreed in Freetown in May 2008 to establish a peace building network.

Poultry Unions and EED take Common Actions at the World Poultry Show in Hannover

(Hannover, 31.03.2009) Representatives from 5 African countries came by invitation from EED November 2008 to Hannover/Germany, where the World Poultry took place as part of the EUROTIER industrial fair. In several public meetings and by a common booth the African chicken producers tried to make Europe aware of the unfair trade with left over meat to Africa.

Panel discussion: Odious Debts vs. International Law

(Bonn / Washington, 02.01.2009) Video of the juridical and political essence of �The Doctrine of Odious Debts in International Law�, a panel meeting in the World Bank.

AACC asks African Union to intensify pressure on Robert Mugabe

(Geneva / Maputo, 12.12.2008) The AACC Assembly adopted a statement of concern on Thursday 11 December on the crisis in Zimbabwe, expressing displeasure that "President Mugabe is using power-sharing negotiations as a strategy for wasting time" while "acts of violence continue to be committed against those who do not support ZANU-PF", Mugabe's ruling party. The will of the Zimbabwe people as expressed in March 2008 elections has been thwarted, the Assembly said, and international leaders and churches "have failed to bring about an amicable solution".

Piracy in Somalia: "The international community should also stand to protect small scale fishers against the plundering of their livelihoods"

(Bonn, 09.12.2008) The EU resolution to send a navy mission in the region of the Horn of Africa to fight pirates ignores that one of the causes of piracy is poverty. EED and its partner organizations in Africa point out that small fishers in the region are becoming increasingly impoverished.

The people of Zimbabwe need more humanitarian assistance

(Bonn/Gaborone, 24.11.2008) The people in Zimbabwe are starving. We cannot wait for a political solution before food aid is going to be provided to the Zimbabwean people. �The world community has to help the people in Zimbabwe,� says Mrs. Claudia Warning, Director International Programmes of the Church Development Service (EED) in Germany.

The G20s first Global Financial Summit is unlikely to control the financial crisis

(Bonn, 21.11.2008) The G8 are history. This is the first result of the Global Financial Summit of the G20 on 15.11.2008 in Washington. Beyond that, the summit somehow gave all actors what they wanted, the Wall Street and the City of London got the scope for further expansion of their money trade, the Europeans got stronger regulation, the emerging market countries got the blame for the crisis unloaded on to the rich countries and a strong stake in further decision making, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund got their role strengthened. As usual the Low Income Countries got the receiving end; they received affirmative and sympathetic words.

40 years of Churches' Development Service

(Berlin, 16.10.2008) The Protestant churches in Germany have celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Churches' Development Service in commemoration of the adoption of the resolution of the Synod of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD) from October 1968 that led to the foundation of the Churches' Development Service.

Making Development more Effective

(Bonn, 28.08.2008) Delegates from about 150 countries are expected to participate in the �Third High Level Forum" (HLF3) on aid effectiveness in Accra, Ghana, from 30.8.-3.9.2008 and to its Civil Society Forum. The HLF3 will elaborate on and release the "Accra Agenda for Action (AAA)". This will be another step in a global aid reform process started in 1999 and well know under the term "Paris Declaration". HLF4 is foreseen for Beijing in 2004. As part of Civil Society's response to this process, EED, the Church Development Service, an Association of the Protestant Churches in Germany in cooperation with the Institute Südwind produced the working paper "Making Development More Effective".

Demonstration at the Federal Association of German Plant Breeders

(19.05.2008) La Via Campesina, the international movement of farmers demonstrated on the first day of the UN conference on biodiversity in Bonn in front of the House of Plant Breeding against bio-piracy and patents on life. Team: U. Sprenger / S. Schrade Video Clip: German / English / Spanish

News coverage of conference on biosafety

Rural community of South Africa stands up against pelargonium-patents and biopiracy

(07.05.2008) The Alice community, living in the Eastern Cape area of South Africa, in close collaboration with the African Center for Biosafety and supported by the Berne Declaration (Switzerland), the Church Development Service (EED) and �Kein Patent auf Leben� (Germany), has challenged two European patents granted to the German company Schwabe Pharmaceuticals. Both patents are based on two pelargonium species that occur in the wild in South Africa. The Patents are seen as an illegitimate and illegal monopolisation of a genetic resource from Southern Africa and the traditional knowledge of the communities in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.

Churches in Zimbabwe warn against a genocide

(28.04.2008) In view of the aggravating crisis three churches in Zimbabwe warn against a threatening genocide in the crisis-ridden country. In a common appeal they applied to the international community with the urgent request for assistance. This would be the only way to stop the escalation of violence and of the violation of human rights.

Call upon the government of Pakistan to withdraw all cases against lawyers and activists

(16.04.2008) The Pakistan NGO Support Group urges the new government of Pakistan to immediately withdraw all the cases against lawyers, human rights defenders and political workers, because they were targeted for peaceful protest. Especially after March 9, 2007 and again after November 3, 2007, large numbers of lawyers, judges, human rights activists, journalists and politicians of the opposition parties were illegally detained, put under house arrest, were banned or disappeared, because they took part in the movement for the restoration of democracy and against the emergency.

Caravan of Fashion Show in Togo, Benin and Ghana

(07.03.2008) CERAD International presents �CERAD Afrik Graphik Textile� (AGT) Clothes

Walter Altmann: Increasing will to seek the unity of churches

(26.02.2008) The moderator of the World Council of Churches has appealed in his visit with the Church Development Service (EED) on the 22nd February for reinforced prayer for unity of the Christians. He pledged for a differentiated dialogue with the Pentecostal and evangelical movement.