Archbishop of Canterbury committed to £100m slavery fund

The Archbishop of Canterbury has officially committed to a £100 million fund designed to provide support for communities affected by enslavement. This financial pledge coincides with a high-profile pastoral visit across West Africa. According to reports from the BBC and The Guardian, the Archbishop has vowed to support this specific fund as part of a broader effort to address the legacies of slavery. The commitment is emerging alongside a series of official engagements in Ghana and Cameroon, marking a significant institutional step toward financial restitution or community support. Coverage from multiple outlets, including The Guardian, the BBC, and the Episcopal News Service, emphasizes the intersection of this financial commitment and the Archbishop's current itinerary.

In Ghana, the Archbishop has engaged in several high-level meetings and ceremonies. Specifically, the Episcopal News Service reports that the Archbishop opened a clinic and met with the Asante King. This diplomatic and religious tour is being tracked by several organizations, with Yahoo noting that this visit is being conducted by the first female archbishop of Canterbury, highlighting a historic leadership transition within the church. To understand the context of these events, the Archbishop's itinerary includes visits to sites of historical significance and local leadership. The Church Times reports that Archbishop Mullally visited Cape Coast Castle in Ghana and met with the Ashanti King.

Additionally, records from the official Archbishop of Canterbury website detail sermons and homilies delivered at St Monica’s College of Education and Mampong Babies Home in Ghana, as well as an Evensong Service at Manhyia Palace in Kumasi. These visits connect the £100 million pledge to the physical locations and peoples impacted by the transatlantic slave trade. Observers will be monitoring the subsequent steps of the pastoral visit, as the Archbishop has now arrived in Cameroon for further engagements. According to the official Archbishop of Canterbury website, this pastoral visit continues after the events in Ghana. The primary focus moving forward will be the implementation of the £100 million fund and the outcomes of the meetings with regional leaders, such as the Asante King, as the church attempts to operationalize its support for communities affected by enslavement.