UCAP Congress 2025 elects new leaders, calls for ethical use of AI in media
“Artificial Intelligence must serve humanity, not enslave it. As Catholic journalists, our task is to ensure technology uplifts truth, dignity, and peace,” declared Charles Ayetan of Togo, the newly elected President of the African Catholic Union of the Press (UCAP), at the closing of the UCAP Congress 2025 in Accra, Ghana.
The Congress, held from 10–17 August, gathered more than 100 Catholic journalists, lecturers, and media practitioners from over 20 African nations and beyond. Organized in partnership with the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC) and the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners-Ghana (CAMP-G), the week-long event explored the theme: “Balancing Technological Progress and the Preservation of Human Values in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (AI).”
New leadership and ethical direction
One of the main highlights was the election of UCAP’s new Executive Committee for 2025–2028. The officers include Charles Ayetan (Togo) as President, Frank Mugabi (Uganda) as 1st Vice-President, Aimé Rodrigue Dembélé (Mali) as 2nd Vice-President, Martine Marie Sylvina Lajoie (Mauritius) as Secretary General, and Franklin Anane Gyimah (Ghana) as Treasurer.
The leadership was officially commissioned by Rev. Fr. Alexis Dembélé, UCAP’s Ecclesiastical Advisor, who reminded delegates that “the media is a sacred trust” and urged Catholic communicators to be witnesses of truth and hope, not merely transmitters of information.
The UCAP Congress 2025 featured in-depth discussions on AI’s role in eco-innovation, agriculture, water management, and renewable energy. Participants also addressed growing concerns about misinformation, fake identities, and addictive digital platforms. Experts emphasized the urgent need for ethical communication, responsible media practices, and stronger digital literacy across Africa.
Delegates adopted several key resolutions: promoting ethical AI development rooted in transparency and respect for human dignity, strengthening fact-checking and digital literacy, reaffirming human-centered journalism, supporting clergy education on AI ethics, and urging governments to invest in digital infrastructure and research.
The UCAP Congress 2025 concluded with a reaffirmation of Catholic journalists’ mission to safeguard truth, promote peace, and serve as the voice of the voiceless, ensuring that technology advances the common good.
