African officials urge faith-government partnerships at Utah Capitol

Senior African Union, Islamic and regional officials used a G20 Interfaith Forum session in Salt Lake City to argue that religious communities must be part of peacebuilding, mediation and youth protection efforts across Africa. The discussion highlighted rising pressure on religious freedom, Senegal’s coexistence model and the role of faith actors in a continent where most people will be young by 2050.

Why it matters: - African leaders framed religious freedom and interfaith cooperation as central to peace, stability and youth opportunity across a continent that is expected to have a large share of the world’s young people by 2050. - Speakers said governments alone cannot reach communities in conflict zones or build durable trust fast enough to prevent violence and polarization. - The session tied African peacebuilding to a broader G20 conversation on how faith groups can support the common good.

What happened: - Senior officials from the African Union Commission, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Community of Sahel-Saharan States met with government leaders from Djibouti and Senegal at the Utah State Capitol on Oct. 16, 2026. - The discussion took place during a special G20 Interfaith Forum session titled “African Perspectives.” - The event was co-sponsored by the Sutherland Institute and the Stirling Foundation. - Katrina Lantos Swett moderated the session. - The Forum concludes Oct. 17 ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Miami on Dec. 14-15. - The full program is available here.

The details: - Ambassador Abderrahim Kadmiri, acting executive secretary of CEN-SAD, said armed groups in the Sahel often instrumentalize religion while faith communities remain among the region’s most trusted actors. - Kadmiri called for faith leaders to be linked to early-warning and mediation systems, for religious educators to be trained to remain credible online, and for stronger protection of freedom of religion or belief. - Kadmiri said that by 2050 one in four people on Earth will be African and most will be young. - Michael Swain, executive director of Freedom of Religion South Africa, said freedom of religion or belief in Africa faces both violence inside faith traditions and growing state control. - Swain pointed to Rwanda, where he said nearly 10,000 churches have been closed and pastors must hold a three-year approved degree. - Swain also cited Mozambique, where he said a religious group must have 5,000 members to register. - Swain urged that religious freedom be rooted in African values and the spirit of ubuntu. - Dr. Djim Ousmane Dramé described Senegal as a model of coexistence in a country that is more than 95% Muslim and was led by a Christian president for its first two decades after independence. - Dramé highlighted Senegal’s Saly Declaration on Religious Discourse, adopted in October 2025 by Muslim, Christian and traditional leaders under the presidency. - The declaration created a National Observatory for Religious Discourse and a permanent framework for dialogue. - Dramé proposed a Grand Prize for Peaceful Coexistence and “Peaceful Coexistence Clubs” in schools. - Ambassador Hameed Opeloyeru said governments often assume peace is their exclusive domain, but faith leaders bring the trust needed for mediation. - Opeloyeru described Organization of Islamic Cooperation efforts to direct zakat toward production rather than consumption so poor people can reduce long-term dependency. - Opeloyeru cited the Welfare Square and Humanitarian Center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as an example of faith-based humanitarian work. - Hazel Dixon described the African Union Commission’s Citizens and Diaspora Directorate work, including the AU Interfaith Dialogue Forum and a youth-focused initiative to prevent violent extremism. - Dixon said Africa’s religious and cultural diversity is an asset for continental peace and solidarity. - H.E. Omar Ahmed Wais described Djibouti as a small country at the crossroads of Africa and the Middle East with a strong tradition of dialogue and peaceful coexistence. - Wais said dialogue and respect are strengths, not weaknesses. - Swett said religious freedom is the foundation on which other rights and social goods depend.

Between the lines: - The speakers were arguing for a practical shift, not just a philosophical one: faith institutions should be treated as operating partners in mediation, prevention and public trust-building. - Several remarks suggested growing concern that outside models of regulation and secular governance may be clashing with local religious realities in parts of Africa. - Senegal was presented as proof that formal dialogue structures can coexist with deep religious diversity and political pluralism. - The emphasis on youth, online credibility and early-warning systems shows that the forum is linking religion policy to security, education and digital influence.

What's next: - Forum organizers are expected to carry these recommendations into the final G20 Interfaith Forum output before the G20 summit in Miami. - The session’s proposals point to continued advocacy for formal government recognition of faith actors in peacebuilding, mediation and religious freedom policy. - Senegal’s dialogue model and the AU’s youth engagement efforts may be used as examples for other countries and regional bodies.

The bottom line: - The Utah session cast religious freedom and faith-government cooperation as core tools for Africa’s future, not side issues.