The Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev & Rt. Hon. Dame Sarah Elisabeth Mullally will visit West Africa later this year as part of efforts to strengthen ties within the Anglican Communion, Lambeth Palace said.
The visit, scheduled from 26 July to 8 August, will take the archbishop to Ghana and Cameroon at the invitation of the Primate of the Anglican Church of the Province of West Africa, Cyril Kobina Ben-Smith.
Lambeth Palace said the trip aims to deepen relationships between the See of Canterbury and churches in the region, while fostering closer ecumenical cooperation.
“The purpose of the visit is to learn and listen, to strengthen ties and to share in the life and mission of Anglicans in West Africa,” the statement said.
The Anglican Church of the Province of West Africa spans 19 dioceses across eight countries in the region.
The announcement follows the archbishop’s recent installation at Canterbury Cathedral, which brought together representatives from across the Anglican Communion, including primates and delegates from Africa.
Lambeth Palace said the West Africa tour forms part of the archbishop’s broader commitment to build relationships across the global church and to engage more closely with Anglican communities worldwide.
The Rt Reverend and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally DBE was announced as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury in October 2025. Formerly a high-ranking nurse and England’s youngest Chief Nursing Officer, she became ordained in 2002.
As an Instrument of Communion, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s role is often expressed through the title ‘primus inter pares’, meaning ‘first among equals’ alongside the other Primates (the senior archbishops or presiding bishops) of the Communion’s member churches.
A core part of this mandate is a continuous and vital pastoral ministry. The Archbishop undertakes visits to the provinces of the Anglican Communion to offer encouragement to local Anglicans, support their diverse ministries, and gain firsthand understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities they face.
This personal presence is also central to the Archbishop’s ecumenical role, fostering relationships with other Christian churches globally by building deep, authentic relationships with other Christian leaders.
Alongside their ministry in the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury, internationally, serves the Anglican Communion and works with the other instruments.
The Primates’ Meeting: The Archbishop convenes and chairs this more frequent gathering of the leaders of the member churches for prayer, consultation, and spiritual reflection. They do this alongside the Standing Committee of the Primates’ Meeting, made up of five archbishops who represent each region of the Anglican Communion.
The Lambeth Conference: Gathers bishops from across the Communion to attend this consultative gathering, which has historically taken place approximately every ten years.
The Anglican Consultative Council: Invites 2-3 representatives from every Member church of the Anglican Communion. This consultative council brings bishops, clergy, and laity together.
The process for appointing a new Archbishop of Canterbury is led by the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC). The Anglican Communion Office (ACO) supports the CNC in its liaison with the Communion.
The CNC for the latest Archbishop was a 20-member body that included five representatives from the Anglican Communion, ensuring a global perspective in this vital appointment. These five representatives came from Africa, the Americas, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and Europe.
