Delegates at the AACC's general assembly in Yaounde, wrapping up a week of deliberations here on Thursday, agreed to form a task force "to give flesh to the nature, type and content of the restructuring" of the ecumenical organization.  

A period of transition is seen as necessary to develop a business plan, restructure the AACC secretariat, install financial systems and develop "an appropriate work culture" around the organization's new general secretary, the Rev. Mvume Dandala, a Methodist from South Africa. 
 
Dandala told ENI that since the AACC's last assembly in 1997 in Addis Ababa, there had been "a lack of clarity as to areas of responsibility and cooperation" between the AACC which covers the whole of Africa and the national councils of churches in various countries.  
 
"There has been a lot of tripping on each others' toes," said Dandala, adding that many concerns were raised about the areas in which the AACC needed to focus its energies.  But inadequate resources have proven most damaging, he noted.  
 
"Because of lack of clarity or focus, many a donor partner has not felt confident that what he puts in the AACC necessarily delivers what he or she wants to contribute for the betterment of the continent of Africa," Dandala said. 
 
"Slowly people have just been saying, 'Look we want to put our money where we know it is going to have a very direct effect'. I think that is a fair thing for people to do," noted Dandala. "It is for the AACC to actually demonstrate how the work it is doing actually enables the delivery to have benefited the continent of Africa." 
 
Asked if he has the charisma and drive delegates expect to make this transformation work, he said: "Only time will tell. I will do my best." 

According to the AACC's newly-elected president, the Rev. Nyansako Ni-Nku, moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon, the AACC is poised to move from beyond a "crisis of leadership" and mere survival tactics. 

"We identified a new general secretary and now we have a new general committee [made up of representatives from all regions]," said Ni-Nku, who takes over as AACC president from Professor Kwesi A. Dickson of Ghana. 
 
"Up until three or four weeks ago, we were not very sure that this assembly would be held," noted Ni-Nku. "So the fact that it was even held at all for me is quite a miracle and is a demonstration of the fact that there is great potential for change."  
 
Founded in 1963, the AACC has, according to its latest figures, 169 member churches and associate members in 39 African countries.