Today, a joint statement has been released by the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran World Federation, reaffirming their commitment to work and respond to the growing refugee crisis ahead of the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review (GRF) in Geneva (15-17 December). It is signed by the respective Secretary Generals of the Anglican Communion (the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo) and the Lutheran World Federation (Revd Dr Anne Burghardt).

The Anglican Communion and the Lutheran World Federation have both made pledges to strengthen their work with refugees. They will be participating in the review and are issuing this statement together to reaffirm their joint commitment and collaboration. The joint statement recognises the need to reform multilateral systems and advocates for ‘effective global cooperation’ and ‘sufficient resourcing’ for one of the most vulnerable groups in our societies, remembering that Jesus was once a refugee.

The statement calls for an ‘increased dialogue between governments, international organisations, and faith actors’ and affirms ‘the need for a multilateral approach, where the countries of the world come together to address the root causes of displacement, including violent conflicts and climate change.’

The statement urges that ‘the responsibility and capacity to address displacement of people globally must be shared across borders and for that reason, the resources should come from many countries and not just a few.’

This joint statement will be represented at the GRF by the Most Revd Dr Maimbo Mndolwa, (Archbishop and Primate of Tanzania). Archbishop Maimbo is the Anglican Communion's representative to the Multi-Religious Council of Leaders in the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees (UNHCR) and will work collaboratively with the representatives of the Lutheran World Federation to advocate for justice for displaced peoples.

Together, they will share how the two communions ‘are engaged worldwide in hands-on efforts to serve, protect and accompany refugees,’ and report on the life-saving support they give to displaced peoples, such as food, water, shelter, education, healthcare, as well as legal and psychosocial support.

About the Global Refugee Forum and the Progress Review meeting

The Global Refugee Forum (GRF) Progress Review is the mid-term stocktaking meeting between Global Refugee Forums, which occur every four years. As a United Nations Forum, it will gather Member States and stakeholders to assess progress against the implementation of the pledges made in 2023, in the hopes of gaining momentum ahead of the next Forum in 2027.

The Most Revd Dr Maimbo Mndolwa will report on global efforts to prioritise the support of refugees and strengthen the coherence of the Anglican response through the Communion. He will also update the Forum on the progress of pledges made in several Anglican Communion provinces, all of which face challenges related to refugees and displaced people: Tanzania, Canada, Egypt, Hungary, Romania, France, Belgium, Finland and the United States.

While this is by no means an exhaustive list of regions in which the Church is providing support to refugees, focusing on the ministries in these areas serves as a snapshot into what the Anglican Communion does to support refugees. It demonstrates the value of faith communities as cornerstones of local, practical and pastoral support and forming bridges between the community and governmental or international actors.

Aims of the Anglican delegation at the Global Refugee Forum Progress Review

According to Michael French, Anglican Communion Representative to the UN in Geneva, ‘Anglicans are working to affirm multilateralism at a time when it’s under assault, whilst looking for new alignments and cooperation, in which we as faith actors hope to step up to the mark. We are also working to strengthen the dialogue and trust between international actors and faith communities at the Global Refugee Forum meetings.’

He says, ‘on a local level, Anglicans and other faith communities are responding to the refugee crisis through hands-on and pastoral support. On an international level, they are advocating for rights-based action, faith-sensitive psychosocial support and are challenging divisive narratives around refugees. These are goals we share with our partners in the Lutheran Church and value the ability to join our voices together on these issues.’

Speaking about the role of faith groups in supporting refugees, the Most Revd Dr Maimbo Mndolwa shares that ‘We all have a role to play in supporting refugees both in the community and through international advocacy. While representatives of the Anglican Communion are reporting on the progress of the communion-wide pledges made in 2023, it is just as important for individuals and churches to live out their faith through practical acts of generosity, love and grace in their everyday encounters with displaced peoples. 

‘Some of the most vulnerable people in society are refugees. Many are fleeing conflict, environmental crisis or seeking better opportunities, yet as refugees, they often find themselves exposed to risks such as exploitation for organs and trafficking. It’s vital that religious groups work with governments to address this humanitarian crisis and help people find routes to safety and a more hopeful future.’

The joint statement of the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran World Federation in preparation for the UN Global Refugee Forum Progress Review

As followers of Jesus Christ, who was once a refugee, and as Lutherans and Anglicans, committed to love and serve our neighbours, we jointly reaffirm our commitment to support refugees at a time when unprecedented numbers of people have been forced to flee in search of safety and dignity.

We also commit ourselves to a multilateralism that enables the principles of effective global cooperation, coordination and sufficient resourcing; and that increases dialogue and trust between countries, international, and local actors.

The multilateral system, set up to safeguard human dignity and ensure support to refugees, is under immense pressure. We recognise the need for its reform and call for this to be based on universal human values, building on what is good and essential in the current setup.

As Anglicans and Lutherans, we are engaged worldwide in hands-on efforts to serve, protect, and accompany refugees. We also work together with refugees, who must play a key role in shaping their futures.

This support includes urgent life-saving interventions, such as food, water, and shelter; education and health; providing protection, legal, and psychosocial support. For example, in Tanzania, Anglicans and Lutherans are involved in different programs that support refugees from Burundi and DRC through the Anglican Church in Tanzania and the Tanganyika Christian Refugee Service.

This local work means we see firsthand the challenges faced by refugees and other displaced people. In light of that, we affirm that humanitarian efforts must be coordinated globally and locally. Locally, the leadership of UNHCR and its partners, including faith-based organisations, is essential to ensure the work is effective and efficient. Resources must be set aside to enable that.

Globally, we affirm the need for a multilateral approach, where the countries of the world come together to address the root causes of displacement, including violent conflicts and climate change. The responsibility and capacity to address displacement of people globally must be shared across borders and for that reason the resources should come from many countries and not just a few.

We call for increased dialogue between governments, international organisations, and faith actors. There is clear evidence that sensitivity to peoples’ faith identity is essential when working with refugees. Faith actors are a backbone of communities. Faith communities are often diverse, decentralised, organic, local, and therein lie some of the features which make them a key part of an authentic response to the current displacement crisis. Therein also lie some of the complexities of working with them and we affirm our commitment to dialogue that increases understanding and effective cooperation.

We also call for increased dialogue on humanitarian response between local and global actors. Only this dialogue can ensure the success of localisation, enabling global agreements to have an impact locally and local realities to inform the international debate. We are ready to play our part in facilitating such dialogue.

We call for an approach to refugee support that is more networked, less hierarchical, while remaining coherent and principled. It must take a people-centred approach which affirms the dignity of every person. Refugees lose many things when they leave, but never their human rights, never their God-given dignity, and never their agency to shape a future with hope. 

Download a copy of the joint statement from the Anglican Communion and the Lutheran World Federation. 

Find out more about the Anglican pledges made at the 2023 Global Refugee Forum.

Find out about the role of Archbishop Maimbo on the UNHCR

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