(ENI) One of Africa's leading Anglican churchmen has called for a single Anglican Church to unite all of Africa's Anglicans.

The proposal was made by the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, Njongonkulu Ndungane, successor to Desmond Tutu. Archbishop Ndungane, who is head of the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, said the time had come for the Anglican churches in Africa to strengthen their witness and ties by creating an Episcopal Church of Africa.

The proposal, in a sermon in the Ugandan border town of Kabale on Sunday, 18 January, was greeted with applause by worshippers. Archbishop Ndungane was in Kabale for the enthronement of the new Anglican bishop of Kigezi, George Katwesigye.

Although the archbishop did not give specific details, such an initiative would create one of the biggest and most influential churches in the world, uniting the Church of the Province of Southern Africa, the Church of the Province of Central Africa, the Church of the Province of Tanzania, the Church of the Province of Kenya, the Church of the Province of Rwanda, the Church of the Province of Burundi, the Church of the Province of Uganda, the Episcopal Church of the Sudan, the Church of the Province of Nigeria, the Church of the Province of West Africa, and provinces covering the Congo and North African regions.

Archbishop Ndungane said the church had to ask itself how it could respond to the challenges and opportunities that presented themselves as the century drew to a close. "How can we share God's mission in a more effective way on this continent?" he asked.

He suggested that one way for Anglican churches to do this was to retain their regional autonomous structures, while striving for the establishment of an Episcopal Church of Africa that transcended boundaries "to enable us to speak with one voice, to give spiritual guidance and support for the people of Africa".

The archbishop made his suggestion while giving an address in Kabale's new St Peter's Cathedral, which was crowded with thousands of people from the diocese of Kigezi, in the Great Lakes region, on the border with Rwanda. Turning specifically to the witness of church leaders, Archbishop Ndungane said bishops should pay particular attention to the issue of poverty. Poverty, he said, was caused to a large extent by the international debt that was owed by developing countries to the developed world, "and which hangs like an albatross around the necks of the people of Africa".

Speaking to warm applause from the congregation, he said: "There is a growing movement worldwide, applying the biblical principle of Jubilee, for the cancellation of all debts of developing countries by the year 2000. The matter is on the agenda for the Lambeth conference of all Anglican bishops in July. It is my hope and prayer that African bishops will take a lead in this debate, ensuring that pressure will be placed on developed countries for the cancellation of the debt, and that developing countries will be encouraged to apply sound principles to ensure their future economic well-being."

Archbishop Ndungane also called on African heads of state to consider setting up an African economic organisation to include all the nations of the continent.

The church leader made his call just days before African heads of state meet in Kampala, Uganda. He praised the Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, for convening the meeting of 16 heads of state to discuss poverty and strategies to improve economic conditions for the people of central and southern Africa. The summit begins on 23 January. Describing poverty as "the greatest scourge of our time", Archbishop Ndungane urged the leaders to look beyond regional co-operation.

"These leaders should look at reviving an economic unit that comprises a united states of Africa, so that everyone in this great continent can benefit economically. Such a step would be a giant leap towards the eradication of poverty. It would also enable Africa to deal more realistically with other economic alliances in the world," he said. It was important for the political leaders attending the summit to recognise the value of strategic partnerships between governments, business and civil society, in order "to generate creative initiatives for the good of all people," Archbishop Ndungane added.

"We live in a continent and in a region that has been troubled, but not destroyed," he said. Referring specifically to the Great Lakes region, he said there was a need for people to show forgiveness and reconciliation, and for the church to bring its ministry of grace.