The inaugural International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit Africa officially opened in Nairobi on Tuesday, setting the stage for critical conversations on religious freedom as a driver of peace, social cohesion, and sustainable development across the continent.

The groundbreaking summit was convened at the kind invitation of Chief Justice of Kenya, Lady Justice Martha Koome, who was represented by the Deputy Chief Justice, Lady Justice Philomena Mwilu.

Organized by Pepperdine University and the Religious Freedom Institute and hosted by the Global Peace Foundation, the three-day summit has brought together leading policymakers, religious leaders, scholars, and civil society actors from across Africa and beyond.

The summit seeks to elevate religious freedom as a fundamental human right and a powerful catalyst for Africa’s socioeconomic transformation. Organizers warned that religious freedoms remain increasingly under threat across the region, calling for urgent protection and promotion of this vital liberty.

H E Mrs Bola Obasanjo, Co-Chair of the IRF Summit, emphasized that Africa must invest more time, leadership, and resources in advancing religious freedom. She stressed that safeguarding this freedom is a shared responsibility that transcends national and religious boundaries.

Ambassador Sam Brownback, Co-Chair of the IRF Summit, underscored Africa’s central role in shaping the global religious freedom agenda. “If a continent aspires to develop, it must guarantee religious freedom for everyone at all times,” he asserted. Brownback further noted that protecting these freedoms fosters trade, investment, and national unity, cautioning that state-sponsored religious favoritism only deepens societal divisions.

“A nation’s growth hinges on its ability to allow every citizen the freedom to practice their faith without fear of persecution,” he warned. Brownback pointed to the escalating tensions between militant Islamists and Christians in the Middle East belt of Africa as a sobering example of the dangers of unchecked religious oppression.

Dr Katrina Lantos Swett, Co-Chair of the IRF Summit, echoed these concerns, highlighting that societies which uphold religious freedoms and fundamental human rights generally enjoy greater success and stability. She particularly emphasized the positive impact on women’s socioeconomic progress in such environments. Dr Swett called on Africa’s political and religious leaders to rally behind the idea of an Abrahamic peace accord to heal persistent religious divisions.

Danny DeWalt, Senior Vice President for Global Impact and Chief of Staff at Pepperdine University, described the summit as a groundbreaking platform to mobilize a continent wide movement against religious persecution and toward lasting religious freedom.

David Trimble, President of the Religious Freedom Institute, urged African leaders to take bold steps to confront religious persecution, noting Africa’s historic legacy of promoting peaceful interfaith coexistence. “It is time for Africa to write a new chapter that addresses the ongoing challenges and ensures that religious freedom thrives,” he said.

Deputy Chief Justice of Kenya, Lady Justice Philomena Mwilu, who represented the Chief Justice, warned of the growing rise in religious persecution, restrictions on faith expression, and violent extremism within Africa. “These violations are not just personal attacks, they erode the very fabric of our societies and threaten the social cohesion necessary for sustainable peace and development,” she said.

Lady Justice Mwilu reaffirmed that Kenya’s Constitution, particularly Article 32, provides robust protections for freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief, and opinion. She emphasized that Kenya not only upholds these rights in law but also cultivates a cultural environment that respects and celebrates religious diversity.

The summit has strongly reaffirmed the need for policymakers, judicial systems, and religious leaders to collaborate in promoting religious freedom as a pillar of Africa’s development and peacebuilding agenda.

The IRF Summit Africa continues through Thursday, with participants expected to outline actionable frameworks for safeguarding religious freedom and strengthening Africa’s role in global peace initiatives.

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