Pope Leo XIV Appoints Kenyan Lucy Afandi to Key Vatican Advisory Role

Kenyan development specialist Lucy Afandi Esipila has been appointed a Consultor to the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development by Pope Leo XIV.

The appointment was announced on 18 August 2026, adding Afandi to a group of 12 experts selected to advise the dicastery on issues related to human development and humanitarian affairs. Afandi has built her career in advocacy and humanitarian work and most recently served as Regional Coordinator of Caritas Africa. 

She was the first woman and the youngest person to lead the organisation’s pastoral network. Her work has focused on issues including ecological justice, agroecology and multilateral cooperation, which align with the dicastery’s work on poverty, migration, healthcare, environmental protection and human dignity.

The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development was established by Pope Francis in 2016 and became operational in January 2017. It brought together the responsibilities of four Pontifical Councils covering justice and peace, charity, migrants and healthcare.

The dicastery is one of the Vatican’s main departments dealing with social and humanitarian issues. Its Consultors provide professional, scientific and pastoral expertise to support its work and policy discussions.

Afandi joins 11 other experts appointed by Pope Leo XIV, including Monsignor Peter Klasvogt, Francesco Coluccia, Emmanuel Katongole, Joseph Jeyaraj Swaminathan, Omer S. Combary, Paolo Foglizzo, Peter G. Kirchschläger, Kathryn A. Koch, Jacqueline Remond, Caren Rodrigues and Clemens Sedmak.

Her appointment gives Kenya representation among the experts advising one of the Vatican’s key departments on global development and humanitarian concerns. Her experience in advocacy and development is expected to contribute to discussions  on ecological challenges, migration, social justice and human dignity.