Unpacks the Catholic Church's role in providing education, health care, humanitarian services, development, peace, and advocacy in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.

The Catholic Church is a major non-state actor in the region that has been under researched in connection to development and international relations in Africa. In this book, Odomaro Mubangizi addresses this gap. With its faith-based diplomacy, grass-root networks and international connections, the Catholic Church has contributed to and has enormous potential to further contribute to a multi-traditional normative theory of international relations. Mubangizi analyzes this potential.

This book provides a historical background to the Great Lakes Region of Africa, examines the economic and political failure in the region, and explores the role of the Catholic Church before and during the independence era. It delves into the ethical, cultural, and international relations principles and norms linked to peace. Then it brings together theory and practice by examining several Catholic institutions that address health care, peacebuilding, education, development, and humanitarian assistance.

Mubangizi compiles sets of ethical principles generated from these discussions, proposes a pedagogy for development and peace, and presents practical recommendations for successful development, IR, and peace in the Great Lakes Region of Africa.