Confirming their mutual commitment to promote peaceful coexistence, interfaith constructive dialogue and cooperation, healing, prevent violence, and enhance resilient capacities for peace in Africa, the United Religions Initiative (URI) - Africa and Cardinal Onaiyekan Foundation for Peace (COFP), signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance peace-building efforts in Africa.
The signing ceremony of the MoU took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on the occasion of the 2025 Interfaith Conference held under the theme of “Africa’s Faith Communities: Advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union Agenda 2063, and South Africa’s 2025 G20 Process”.
The MoU was signed by Ambassador Mussie Hailu, Regional Director of URI for Africa and Representative of URI to the African Union and UN Office in Africa and Sr Agatha O. Chikelue, Executive Director of COFP.
Aligned with the URI and COFP priorities and strategies frameworks, the MoU aims to support more inclusive and participatory peace-building approaches that are gender and youth responsive, as well as to promote the opportunity and potential of societies as agents of positive change to achieve stronger social cohesion and sustainable peace.
Within the framework of the partnership agreement, URI-Africa and COFP agree to:
- Promote a culture of Peace in Africa through information sharing, training, research, education, and innovative early interventions and bridging the gap between theory, policy and practice.
- Promote interfaith harmony, constructive dialogue, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, human dignity, compassion and mutual respect.
- Work with other relevant stake holders to prevent violence and curb the problem of hate speech, terrorism, xenophobe and discrimination in Africa.
- Through Fellowship Program of COFP to effectively build the capacity of URI members, religious leaders and community actors (men, women and youth), so that they will be able to engage in meaningful & fruitful interreligious/intercultural dialogue, transform conflict and advance ethical leadership which enhances social cohesion, integration and builds a culture of peace.
- Work together in promoting the campaign of URI against violence, to provide training for religious leaders, elders, youth and women to identify the root causes and risk factors for violence.
- Overcoming prejudice, intolerance and stereotyping on the basis of religion, ethnicity and culture.
- Work together in partnership with the African Union and other stakeholders in the implementation of Agenda 2063 and SDGs.
- Create coalition and networks to speak with one common voice for peace, justice and healing and against violence in Africa.
- Build intergenerational understanding and actively engage the youth, women and people with disabilities.
- Work closely with different media outlets to disseminate messages of peace and respect for diversity.
- Promote interfaith & intercultural harmony, human dignity, mutual respect, and national cohesion through the common shared value of the teaching of the Golden Rule which says” Treat others the way you want to be treated” and Ubuntu which means “ I am because we are”.
URI Africa highly appreciates the work of COFP and its Fellowship Program since its inception for empowering many individuals from different African countries with the knowledge and skills needed to engage in interfaith dialogue, conflict management, and peace-building.
The program is uniquely designed by Africans, for Africans, ensuring that its approach remains relevant and responsive to the realities on the African continent.
COFP Fellowship Program mandate is to provide the platform for inspiring and equipping grassroots leaders to work together genuinely in building their own solutions for social change and common humanity.
The approach of COFP Fellowship is addressing issues of violence and social injustice nonviolently by building network of community peace-builders, promote leadership ethos and encourage interfaith & intercultural practical and effective cooperation
Founded in 2010 by John Cardinal Onnaiyekan (One of Africa's esteemed faith leaders and a staunch advocate for peace, interfaith harmony and inclusivity), COFP is a non-governmental organization with the mandate to provide a platform for building and strengthening the processes of peace and social change in Africa.
COFP is committed to engaging with all sectors of society, particularly marginalized groups such as women, youth, children and others on the fringes.
The Foundation’s core programs included Interreligious Dialogue, Peace Education, Governance / Leadership Ethos and Development, Community Engagement, and networking with similar organizations
May Peace Prevail on Earth
