The Symposium of Episcopal of Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM), the association of Catholic Bishops of Africa, Madagascar and the Islands, would on Saturday elect a new Head of the Catholic Church in Africa to replace outgoing Head, His Eminence Cardinal Philippe Ouédraogo, from Burkina Faso.
SECAM is hosting its 19th Plenary Assembly from 25th July 2022 to 1st August 2022 in Accra, Ghana. The Plenary Assembly of the Symposium is held every three years.
The President of the SECAM is the highest-ranking official of the Roman Catholic Church in Africa.
The SECAM, established in 1969 in Kampala, Uganda during the visit of St. Pope Paul VI, was born out of the desire of African Catholic Bishops present at the Second Vatican Council to speak with one voice on matters pertaining to the Church in Africa.
The Symposium, headquartered in Accra, consists of eight regional associations:
– Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central Africa (ACEAC);
– Association of Episcopal Conferences of Central African Region (ACERAC);
– Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy of Egypt (AHCE);
– Association of Member Episcopal Conferences of Eastern Africa (AMECEA);
– Episcopal Conferences of the Indian Ocean (CEDOI);
– Regional Episcopal Conference of North Africa (CERNA);
– Inter-Regional Meeting of the Bishops of Southern Africa (IMBISA);
– Reunion of Episcopal Conference of West Africa (RECOWA/CERAO).
