Bishop of WA, Ghana, Elected New President of SECAM. His Eminence Richard Kuuia Baawobr of Ghana has been elected President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) and is now the highest-ranking member of the Roman Catholic Church in Africa.
He was elected Saturday, 30th July 2022 during the hosting of its 19th Plenary Assembly of Catholic Bishops in Africa, which started on the 25th of July to run till the 1st of August, 2022 in Accra, Ghana. This plenary meeting of the Symposium is held every three years.
He takes over from His Eminence Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo, who hails from Burkina Faso.
In a press release signed by the Rev. Fr. Dieu-Donne Kofi Davor (Director of Communications, Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference), it is the first time in 53 years since the establishment of SECAM that a Ghanaian Bishop has been elected President.
His Eminence Fridolin Besungu (Archdiocese of Kinshasha – DR Congo) was elected as the Vice-President, while Most Rev. Lucio Andrice Muandula (Diocese of Xai Xai – Mozambique) was elected the second Vice President.
The Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) was established in 1969 in Kampala, Uganda during the visit of St. Pope Paul VI, was born out of the desire of African Catholic Bishops present at the Second Vatican Council to speak with one voice on matters pertaining to the Church in Africa.
The Symposium is headquartered in Accra, and consists of eight regional associations:
– Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC);
– Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central African Region (ACERAC);
– Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy of Egypt (AHCE);
– Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA);
– Episcopal Conferences of the Indian Ocean (CEDOI);
– Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (CERNA);
– Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA);
– Reunion of Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA/CERAO).
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