Pope Leo appoints Kenya’s Lucy Afandi as Vatican consultor
Pope Leo XIV has appointed Kenyan national Lucy Afandi Esipila as a Consultor to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. Afandi, who currently serves as the Regional Coordinator of Caritas Africa, will provide specialized advice on humanitarian and development issues.
Why it matters
This appointment highlights the increasing influence of African leaders in global Catholic social policy and the Vatican's focus on development and environmental justice.
Collage of Lucy Afandi and Pope Leo XIV/HANDOUT
Lucy Afandi Esipila has been appointed as a Consultor to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development by Pope Leo XIV.
Afandi was among 12 new Consultors appointed by the Pope on August 18, 2026.
She joins a group of experts selected to provide advice and specialised knowledge to the Vatican department.
The appointment places Afandi in an advisory role within one of the major departments of the Roman Curia, the central administrative structure of the Catholic Church.
A dicastery is broadly equivalent to a major department of the Vatican, with each responsible for a particular area of the Church’s work.
The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development focuses on issues including poverty, migration, healthcare, environmental protection, humanitarian assistance and human development.
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