Caritas Africa

Caritas Africa is a confederation of Catholic social service, international development and humanitarian relief organisations operating across Africa. It is one of the seven regions of Caritas Internationalis.

Caritas Africa refers to both the African network with its 46 member organizations, and its secretariat based in Lomé in Togo. The official languages of the organisation are English, French, and Portuguese.

Work
The member organisations of Caritas Africa work to alleviate poverty and provide humanitarian responses in their countries. The regional secretariat is engaged in political advocacy at African and global level, and engages in capacity strengthening of its members.

Membership
Caritas Africa has 46 member organisations spanning the sub-Saharan region, encompassing the islands in the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic. Caritas Africa does not extend its coverage to the entirety of the African continent, as Caritas organisations in the Maghreb, Mashriq, and partially the Horn of Africa belong to a distinct region within Caritas Internationalis, specifically Caritas Middle East and North Africa.

The national Caritas organisations are the members of Caritas Africa. In most countries, each national organisation serves as an umbrella for various diocesan Caritas organisations. Diocesan and parish Caritas groups operate locally but are not direct members of Caritas Africa. In addition, Caritas agencies from other regions sometimes run country offices in African countries, such as CAFOD, Caritas Czech Republic, Caritas Switzerland, CRS or Trócaire, which are also not part of Caritas Africa.

Presidents

 * 1995–2003: Charles Palmer-Buckle
 * 20??-2015: Francisco João Silota
 * 2015–2023: Gabriel Justice Yaw Anokye
 * 2023-now: Msgr. Pierre Cibambo
 * 2023-now: Msgr. Pierre Cibambo

Regional coordinators

 * 2015–2023: Albert Mashika
 * 2023-now: Lucy Esipila