The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres during her visit to the United Nations in New York City. 

Thanking the Secretary-General for the United Nations’ work with women, children and displaced people, Archbishop Sarah reiterated the importance of Anglican churches - often in collaboration with other faith groups - in providing healthcare and promoting local peacekeeping initiatives. The Secretary-General praised the role of faith organisations in communities, in particular the Anglican Communion, identifying them as humanitarian agents in addressing issues such as malnutrition and poverty through their provision of healthcare, education and peacekeeping.

The Archbishop of Canterbury meets with the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher. Credit: Matteo Minasi / United Nations

Archbishop Sarah also met with the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, and the Deputy Executive Director for Humanitarian Action and the Associate Director for Public Health Emergencies at UNICEF, Ted Chaiban and Dr Doug Noble. Discussions focused on the Anglican Communion’s role in providing healthcare, sanitation and training in communities across the world, as well as the importance of trust-building between faith groups and government agencies, including in response to Ebola, infant mortality and fragile healthcare systems.

Following the meetings, Archbishop Sarah hosted a private roundtable discussion in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross, with senior representation from the World Health Organisation, experts in the field and member states of the UN, on protecting healthcare in contemporary armed conflict, and the role churches play in protecting healthcare workers and settings.

Welcoming attendees, Archbishop Sarah said: 'Anglicans are found in over 165 countries globally. Together we experience great joys, but we also face great challenges – particularly those that find themselves in conflict settings.

'For many people of faith, protection of the sick and those who treat them is non-negotiable, and faith groups are instrumental in reaching vulnerable populations. Faith groups are in these places; they know the problems and so they often know the solutions. They are trusted by their communities, and so it is so important that we establish networks with faith leaders to ensure that healthcare provision continues even in the deadliest of conflicts. I hope that faith leaders globally and communities of faith locally can be partners in these efforts.'

Drawing on Archbishop Sarah's previous career in nursing, and now her ordained ministry, the roundtable responded to the increase in attacks on healthcare globally over the last 10 years. The group discussed the realities faced by local communities when healthcare is not protected, and explored how different faith groups and churches around the Anglican Communion build the trust necessary to keep healthcare running in some of the most challenging and conflicted situations globally. They also focused on developing partnerships that will better support hospitals and healthcare workers under fire.

The meeting was part of the Archbishop’s 4-day visit to the United States to spend time with bishops, clergy and congregations of The Episcopal Church. During the visit, Archbishop Sarah joined Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe at a meeting of the House of Bishops in the Diocese of Texas, before worshipping and spending time with churches in the Dioceses of New York and Connecticut.

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