The ACO supports Anglicans to act globally and locally in advocating for justice, peace and equality. It represents a distinctive Anglican voice to civil society and engages with the United Nations and other global bodies.
The United Nations is a forum for the world's countries to address major global challenges together. The ACO has official consultative status at the United Nations and works on a number of priorities including:
- Advocacy and representation: Sharing the voice of Anglicans on issues of peace, poverty, justice and the environment.
- Listening and learning from global best practice at the UN, so that Anglicans can be informed on how to work together globally and locally.
- Accompaniment and partnership: Creating partnerships between UN entities and Anglican churches and sharing resources in response to challenges like conflict, forced migration, environmental crisis and health.
The city of Goma in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and surrounding territory has fallen to the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels. The latest updates from the UN reveal a rapidly rising death toll, the displacement of millions and an escalating humanitarian crisis. The Goma Call for Peace is an urgent appeal from community and faith leaders from Goma.
The fighting needs to stop. Leaders need to speak and the international community must act now for peace.
The Anglican Communion Office (ACO) supports Anglicans to advocate for reconciliation, peace and action. The ACO brings the distinctive voices of Anglicans to international forums such as the United Nations, COP conferences, and other global arenas, to push forwards the principles of the Kingdom of God for the needs of people and planet.
Learn moreWith the Israel-Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement in motion, it’s vital that humanitarian aid can reach those that are suffering.The work of the United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) must be protected and unrestricted.
Find out how you can advocate for support.
COP29, held from November 11 to 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan, was a critical global conference addressing the climate crisis. The Anglican Communion actively participated, advocating for bold action on climate justice and resilience.
COP16, held from October 21 to November 1, 2024, in Cali, Colombia, focused on biodiversity loss and ecosystem restoration. The Anglican Communion joined global voices in calling for urgent collective action to halt and reverse nature loss.
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The Most Reverend Maimbo Mndolwa, Archbishop of Tanzania, has been appointed as the Anglican Communion's representative to UNHCR Multi-Religious Council of Leaders.
He works alongside other faith leaders to address critical humanitarian issues, including displacement, refugee protection, and global justice.
The Anglican Communion’s involvement in the UNHCR emphasises our commitment to promoting peace, reconciliation, and support for the most vulnerable populations worldwide.
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The UN Summit of the Future took place on 22-23 September 2024 in New York, bringing together world leaders, faith communities, and civil society to reimagine multilateral cooperation and craft solutions for the future.
The UN team highlighted three major priorities: Youth Engagement, Peacebuilding, and Collaboration Between Faith and Science. These key areas showcased the role of Anglican communities in fostering solutions and advancing shared goals for the common good.
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In the second week of December 2023, Geneva hosted the Global Refugee Forum (GRF), overseen by the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). The Anglican Communion presented a snapshot of the work being done by our member provinces, and pledges to continue that ministry with refugees.
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Following a request from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, we have established pilot partnerships between the UN’s Mediation Support Unit and Anglicans mediating in South Sudan, Nigeria, the DRC and Mozambique. Anglican leaders, women and youth here are deeply connected to local communities experiencing violence, and trusted to build bridges between divided groups. They offer the UN insights to help embed initiatives for peace, while UN Senior Advisers offer faith leaders strategic support and guidance to scale up their mediation efforts.
The Anglican Communion will have a presence at COP28 – articulating Hope, Justice and a Voice for the Vulnerable, calling for a just transition, resilience building in vulnerable communities and just financing in response to climate change. The Anglican Communion also wants to mobilise more people across the world’s third largest Christian community to take action and promote its calls to their respective governments.
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Many of the UN's Human Rights organisations are based in Geneva. Our presence in the city allows us to encourage our member Provinces to:
1) speak up when the UN Universal Periodic Review comes to review a Province's nation-state members
2) raise questions, give statements or draw attention to situations of injustice taking place in their Provinces
3) build coalitions with other churches and like-minded NGOs to effectively influence major global issues
4) guide UN officials and diplomats as they make key decisions on subjects such as refugees, migration, economic policy and health provision
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SubscribeMartha Jarvis
Anglican Communion Permanent Representative to the UN
Phone: +44 20 7313 39838
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @AnglicanUN
