Following their ad limina visit to the Vatican, the bishops of the Burkina-Niger Episcopal Conference have issued a fervent plea for peace, interfaith dialogue, and social cohesion across the Sahel.
During a thanksgiving mass organized by the Ecclesiastical Brotherhood of Burkinabè in Rome and Italy, the prelates gathered in the chapel of the Missionaries of Africa to pray for global peace and the stability of populations currently grappling with persistent insecurity and humanitarian crises. The ceremony was attended by religious figures, the faithful, and diplomatic representatives, serving as a spiritual bookend to their meetings with high-ranking Catholic Church authorities.
Presiding over the mass, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Ouagadougou, Prosper Kontiebo, urged the faithful to serve as “living signs of hope” amid the social tensions and security challenges defining the region. In a homily that emphasized non-violence and charity, he argued that lasting social stability cannot be achieved through aggressive arguments or sterile debates, but rather through a commitment to dialogue with Muslim communities and followers of traditional religions. Bishop Ignatius Kan-Murum Anipu of Maradi echoed this sentiment, noting that Pope Francis specifically emphasized the need for communion with both public authorities and other religious groups as the only path toward true conviviality.
The visit also highlighted the ongoing Sahel Peace Initiative, a regional platform that recently produced the “Bamako Call” for peaceful coexistence during a forum in March 2026. This initiative brings together religious leaders from across West Africa, including Mali, Côte d’Ivoire, and Ghana, to foster a collective response to violent extremism. To further this mission, the Church announced that the fifth edition of the Prize for Journalism for Peace and Social Cohesion will take place in Ouagadougou in June 2026, focusing on community resilience. Church leaders concluded by calling for expanded humanitarian support for the more than one million internally displaced persons in Burkina Faso, stressing that the Church remains a vital partner in managing the region’s pastoral and security realities.
HO/te/Sf/lb/abj/APA