AMECEA is an acronym for Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa. It is a Catholic service organization for the National Episcopal Conferences of the eight countries of Eastern Africa, namely Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Djibouti and Somalia are affiliate members.The authority over all AMECEA’s activities rests with the Plenary Assembly of all the Bishops of the AMECEA countries. Between the Plenary Assemblies, the Executive Board takes the necessary decisions, according to the AMECEA priorities.The day to day decisions are taken on behalf of the Chairman by the Secretary General who also coordinates the AMECEA departments and institutions.
THE BEGINNING OF AMECEA
Secretary General
AMECEA (then ITEBEA) was the brainchild of the Catholic Bishops of Tanganyika (today’s Tanzania). In 1960 they proposed, through the then Apostolic Delegation (today’s Nunciature) in Nairobi, that there be collaboration among Catholic Bishops in the region. That time the following countries were under the Nairobi Apostolic Delegation namely Kenya, Nyasaland (today’s Malawi), Uganda, Sudan, Tanganyika and Northern Rhodesia (today’s Zambia). When these other Bishops’ Conferences agreed to the necessity of working together, the then Apostolic Delegate (today’s Nuncio) Monsignor Guido Del Mestri consulted Rome. Rome gave its approval.