Issues in Focus

International Development

The Archbishop of Canterbury's role as a figure of unity of the worldwide Anglican Communion, which is represented in over 130 countries, means that he is in a unique position to bring the needs and voices of those fighting poverty, disease and the effects of conflict, to the attention of national and international policy makers and donor agencies

Walk of Witness at the Lambeth Conference

The Archbishop of Canterbury's International Development Secretariat (IDS) has been operational since 2005, and works on his behalf to build relationships between Anglican partners, and Christian and secular organisations in the development world, to facilitate community-based development and peace building. It seeks to help governments, UN agencies and international NGOs understand how they can work more effectively with Anglican partners and other faith-based organisations on development issues.

The department places a priority on collaborating with other Christian organisations in the field to do joint visits, training and programme development.

IDS is involved a number of community development programmes in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on education, but also peace building, micro finance and HIV programmes. It also works to support Communion-wide advocacy on Millennium Development Goals through the work of the Anglican Observer to the United Nations.

22 July 2010
Anglican relief, development and advocacy alliance: a step closer to becoming reality
A working group from across the worldwide Anglican Communion met at Lambeth Palace between 12 and 14 July to plan how to turn the proposed Anglican Alliance on relief, development and advocacy into a reality.
22 April 2010
World Malaria Day message
To mark World Malaria Day, Sunday 25th April 2010, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has for the first time recorded a message to demonstrate his support and to urge others to unite in the fight against malaria.
Archbishops' Zimbabwe Appeal
27 January 2010
Archbishop of Canterbury meets UN Secretary General
The Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams spent 45 minutes with the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon yesterday evening in New York following a day of consultations with heads and senior staff from a range of UN agencies and UN Ambassadors.
14 January 2010
Archbishop's message of support for the victims of the earthquake in Haiti
The Archbishop of Canterbury has given a message of support to the people of Haiti affected by the devastation caused by Tuesday's earthquake.
01 January 2010
The Archbishop of Canterbury's New Year Message
In his BBC New Year Message the Archbishop of Canterbury sets out that in this global society we now inhabit "risk and suffering are everybody's problem, the needs of our neighbours are the needs of the whole human family."
30 November 2009
Archbishop's World AIDS Day Message "A space for hope"
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has released his 2009 World Aids Day video, in which he speaks with the Revd Patricia Sawo, a church leader and mother from Kenya, about her experiences of living with HIV. The video highlights the plight of expectant mothers who are HIV positive and the support they need to prevent the transmission of HIV to their babies.
12 November 2009
New Perspectives on Faith and Development
In a lecture today at the RSA, Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, sets out the principles by which development agencies and faith communities can engage in dialogue to build trust and mutual understanding of their distinctive motivations in order to collaborate more effectively in tackling issues of justice and global poverty.
Archbishop's World AIDS Day video
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams has recorded a video message to mark the 20th annual World AIDS day on December 1st 2008.
International Development on the agenda at the Lambeth Conference
The Lambeth Conference is one of the global Anglican Communion's Instruments of Communion. It takes place every ten years at the invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is the one occasion when all bishops can meet for worship, study and conversation. Archbishops, diocesan, assistant and suffragan bishops are invited. Also invited are bishops from other churches 'in communion' with the Anglican Communion, bishops from United Churches and a number of ecumenical guests. The current Archbishop of Canterbury - Rowan Williams -- called the latest Lambeth Conference for July 2008.
Our work with partners in Africa
We know from our experience as Churches that the sufferings, the complications, the controversies and the frustrations of any one Church can affect us all. We know we feel very deeply that the witness and the generosity of one Church can inspire and change us all... when I think of what is done in Sudan or Uganda or Burundi towards these Millennium Development Goals, I feel there the Church is truly being the Church in a way that helps me - that helps us in the United Kingdom grow that little bit further towards responsibility and generosity in our work. Archbishop of Canterbury- video message for MDGs September 2008
Global Advocacy for poverty and justice issues
As head of the Church of England and a focus for unity in the Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury has many opportunities to speak out on poverty and justice issues and to convene Anglican leaders and leaders of other faiths on this issue in the UK and internationally.
24 July 2008
Keep the Promise - Millennium Development Goals
The Archbishop's speech, given after the Walk of Witness at Lambeth Palace, prior to an address by the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown
18 March 2009
Lambeth Palace hosts DfID White Paper consultation
Lambeth Palace yesterday hosted a consultation between faith communities and the UK Government's Department for International Development (DfID) on the forthcoming White Paper.
09 July 2009
Archbishop's Response to DFID White Paper
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, welcomed the launch this week of the Government White Paper, "Building our Common Future", which commits additional support for the world's poorest people affected by conflict, climate change and the global economic crisis.
22 July 2010
Anglican relief, development and advocacy alliance: a step closer to becoming reality
A working group from across the worldwide Anglican Communion met at Lambeth Palace between 12 and 14 July to plan how to turn the proposed Anglican Alliance on relief, development and advocacy into a reality.