Berkley Center

Bishop Alexandre Yikyi Bazié serves as the auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Koudougou in Burkina Faso. In his capacity as president of the Burkina Faso Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace (part of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger) and the Sahel Peace Initiative in Burkina Faso, Bishop Bazié is responsible for overseeing national advocacy and dialogue initiatives aimed at promoting government accountability and social cohesion. His efforts underscore the Catholic Church’s commitment to contributing constructively to the country’s development and stability. He led a delegation of Catholic bishops and Muslim leaders to Washington, DC, in March 2023. He holds a doctorate in dogmatic theology from the Pontifical Urban University.

Archbishop Laurent Birfuoré Dabiré currently leads the Archdiocese of Bobo Dioulasso, the second-largest city in Burkina Faso. In his current role, he oversees social education initiatives, Caritas development projects, and interreligious activities within the conference. Through these initiatives, Archbishop Dabiré actively works to address local social issues and promote sustainable development in the region. He was part of a delegation of Catholic bishops and Muslim leaders that visited Washington, DC, in March 2023. He holds a dual doctorate in canon and civil law from the Pontifical Lateran University.

Katherine Marshall, a senior fellow at Georgetown University’s Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, leads the center’s work on religion and global development. She is also a professor of the practice of development, conflict, and religion in the Walsh School of Foreign Service, teaching diverse courses on the ethics of development work and mentoring students at many levels. She helped to create and now serves as the executive director of the World Faiths Development Dialogue, an NGO that works to enhance bridges between different sectors and institutions. In September 2022, she was appointed as a member of the Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid at the U.S. Agency for International Development. Marshall has five decades of experience on a variety of development issues in Africa, Latin America, East Asia, and the Middle East, particularly those facing the world’s poorest countries; one way she shares her expertise is through her blog Faith in Action. She was a World Bank officer from 1971 to 2006, and she led the World Bank’s faith and ethics initiative between 2000 and 2006. Marshall is a member of the Working Group on Child Rights and Family Values and the Working Group on Displaced Persons and Hospitality to the Stranger, both part of the Culture of Encounter Project.

Father Hermann Ouedraogo is the general secretary of the Burkina Faso Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace (part of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger), where he plays a pivotal role in guiding the organization’s efforts to promote social justice and peacebuilding initiatives. With a doctorate in law, Ouedraogo brings a profound legal expertise that informs his leadership and advocacy within the commission, enabling him to address complex legal and ethical issues related to justice and human rights.

Archbishop Gabriel Sayaogo serves as president of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger and as the ordinary of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Koupéla. He plays a key role in leading the Catholic Church's response to the complex sociopolitical challenges in the Sahel region. His leadership is characterized by a strong dedication to spiritual renewal and to fostering unity and collaboratino among diverse communities, not only within the church but also with civil society and government officials. By emphasizing dialogue and inclusion, Archbishop Sayaogo aims to build bridges across religious and ethnic divides, which are vital for social cohesion and lasting peace. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Urban University.