Church Leader Makes Historic First Official Visit to Chad

In a significant milestone for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in West Africa, Elder Alfred Kyungu, President of the Africa West Area Presidency, together with a delegation from the Church’s Area Office, concluded a historic three-day visit to the Republic of Chad. This visit, which took place in N’Djamena from October 28-30, 2025, was in response to a formal invitation from the Government of Chad and marks the first time a General Authority of the Church has ever visited the nation.

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Elder Kyungu and his delegation were warmly welcomed by Madam Kitoko Gata Ngoulou, Minister for Women and Children, setting a tone of mutual respect and partnership that characterized the entire visit.

The journey underscored the Church’s ongoing commitment to strengthening relationships with government institutions, humanitarian collaborators and faith-based organizations across the African continent. Perhaps more importantly, the visit was a testament to the Lord’s work, often accomplished through humanitarian efforts, moving forward in every nation.

The visiting Church leaders enjoyed a cordial audience with the Prime Minister of Chad, who thanked the Church for its humanitarian service in the country since 1985. The Prime Minister appealed to the Church for continued support after highlighting the current strain on resources due to the influx of refugees from Sudan and neighboring countries.

During the visit, the delegation also met with several high-level government officials to discuss potential areas of collaboration. These included meetings with the Ministries of National Education; Water and Energy Resources; Public Health; the National Intelligence Agency; and the Ministry of Social Action, Solidarity, and Humanitarian Affairs.

In addition, a meeting with the leadership of EMET (Association for Non-Catholic Churches), which oversees religious organizations in Chad, resulted in a pledge to assist the Church in formally establishing itself in the country.

Both sides expressed a desire to continue working together to serve Chad’s most vulnerable populations. The visit concluded with a shared commitment to strengthening the collaboration between the Church and the Republic of Chad. As government leaders repeatedly thanked the Church for its service, Elder Kyungu reaffirmed the Church’s dual mission to meet both the humanitarian and spiritual needs of God’s children.

Looking beyond the temporal blessings the Church may offer, the Prime Minister affirmed that Chad welcomes all religions that promote peace and harmony, while warning against extremist or divisive movements. Elder Kyungu expressed deep gratitude for the religious freedom enjoyed in Chad.

After emphasizing Latter-day Saints’ desire to live peacefully with all people, he shared the Church’s Twelfth Article of Faith, which declares a commitment to “obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.”

As tokens of goodwill and mutual understanding, Elder Kyungu presented government and religious leaders with copies of “The Family: A Proclamation to the World,” the “Articles of Faith,” the “Book of Mormon,” and the Church’s pamphlet for Latter-day Saints and Muslims. To the Prime Minister, he also presented a framed photo illustrating shared beliefs between Latter-day Saints and Muslims, symbolizing unity and mutual respect across faiths.

Although the Church does not yet have an official presence in Chad, its responsibility to relieve suffering and care for the poor and needy everywhere remains a core principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In his Saturday morning general conference address in October 2022, President Dallin H. Oaks referenced the Church’s collaborations with humanitarian organizations worldwide, stating, “We share the common goal of relieving suffering among God’s children. All of this is part of God’s work for His children.”

The groundbreaking visit laid a firm foundation for stronger collaboration, opening new pathways for meaningful projects in education, health, water and social welfare that will bless communities across Chad for years to come.

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