President Patrick Levy Mwanawasa commended the Catholic Church for its role in raising the socio-economic status of the people through its social programmes. “The Zambian Catholic Church has a very vibrant justice and Peace Ministry (Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace which falls under Caritas Zambia). As President of Zambia today, I can confidently confirm that I have on several occasions felt the vibrancy of this Ministry. Whether or not it has always made me comfortable is another matter,” said President Mwanawasa. He encouraged the Church to use its power to wage a campaign for fairer terms of trade and increased investments in the region.
“I gratefully acknowledge your outstanding advocacy for debt cancellation through the Jubilee 2000 Campaign. Today or country is recording positive economic growth rates partly as a result of the debt cancellation that we received with your full support,”he said. th The 16 Plenary Assembly of the AMECEA was held th from June 26 to July 7 and was attended by over 200 Bishops from the AMECEA region. The theme was RECONCILIATION THROUGH JUSTICE AND PEACE.
