ACT Development constituted

ACT Development, the new global alliance for development, has been officially formed after two years of consultations and planning. The alliance celebrated its first Assembly on February 5–7 in Nairobi, Kenya, hosted by the All Africa Conference of Churches.

By working collaboratively, the alliance aims to increase the effectiveness of ecumenical work on poverty, injustice and human rights abuse. The alliance brings together 55 ecumenical organisations and churches, collectively running programmes in 157 countries with more than 14,000 staff and with a combined budget calculated to be in the vicinity of US$ 1 billion.

Addressing the Assembly on February 7 the Rev. (Dr.) Samuel Kobia, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), explained, "there is a strong sense that we need each other as partners in the ecumenical movement."

"We have crossed an important threshold with this Assembly. There is now the promise of increased and more carefully targeted co–operation. This will lead to beneficial results for our partners at grassroots and national levels," he said.

The Assembly considered the future direction of the alliance as well as its mechanisms and programmatic activities. It was agreed by the Assembly that ACT Development should continue discussions with ACT International, the churches global alliance for emergency response, to explore possibilities of a structural relationship between the two alliances. A close working relationship will also be maintained with the Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance. By developing a global brand – using a shared family name among organisations in the alliance – ACT Development aims to enhance the visibility of the development work being carried out by the ecumenical family.

The Assembly affirmed that at the national level, a forum will be established by ACT Development organisations working in the country as the basis for collective discussion, learning, analysis and planning.

It was unanimously agreed by the Assembly that the alliance should continue to work with branding consultants towards the sharing of one family name: ACT (Action by Churches Together).

Emphasising the importance of a global brand, Kobia told the Assembly that "a visible presence of specialised ministries at the international level is absolutely required."

"Involvement in strategic global advocacy has become a must," he said.