Samuel Kobia - Global Leadership

Global Leadership

From Kenya, he returned to Geneva, Switzerland in 1993 to serve as Executive Director of WCC's Unit III - Justice, Peace and Creation. In 2003 he was elected General Secretary; his election was received with endorsement by global peers. During his acceptance speech he quoted the African proverb "If you want to walk fast, walk alone; but if you want to walk far, walk together". In this spirit, he worked to promoted greater unity in the ecumenical movement through collaboration and dialogue.

In 2005, he rejected the accusation of anti-Zionism against the WCC and stated that anti-Semitism is a "sin against God and man" and "absolutely irreconcilable with the profession and practice of the Christian faith," quoting from the first assembly of the WCC in Amsterdam in 1948. He has nevertheless been critical of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, calling it "a sin against God".

The same year, he paid a tribute to Pope John Paul II on behalf of his efforts for ecumenism.

Rev Dr Sam Kobia served as General Secretary for one term resigning in 2009. Kobia's resignation come as a surprise to the Central Committee, who stated that he had their "full support" despite harsh criticism from Rt Revd Martin Hein.

In 2010, Rev Kobia was appointed Ecumenical Special Envoy to Sudan by the All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC). Rev Kobia has deep knowledge of Sudan having worked with the late John Garang in 1990 when the WCC set up peace talks between the mainstream SPLM/SPLA led by John Garang and the SPLM/SPLA United led by Riak Machduring. Rev. Dr. Kobia, led the six-month long talks, which were sponsored by the National Council of Churches of Kenya and the People for Peace of the Catholic Church in Kenya, with technical assistance from Nairobi Peace Initiative-Africa. In this current post, he continues his role as peacemaker and global leader.