ABUJA, Nigeria — Leaders of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON) outlined a series of historic developments during a press conference today in Abuja, where bishops and primates from across the GAFCON movement gathered for the 2026 GAFCON Council. Central to the discussion was the Martyrs Day Statement of October 16, 2025, issued from Sydney, Australia. That meeting brought together primates and bishops from across the global Anglican movement under a shared theme of renewal and faithfulness to the historic teachings of the Church.

In the statement, GAFCON Chairman Archbishop Laurent Mbanda declared that “the future has arrived,” announcing that the GAFCON movement would no longer recognize the traditional Instruments of Communion centered in Canterbury as the defining structures of global Anglicanism. Instead, the statement called for the formation of new structures to serve the fellowship of faithful Anglican provinces.

The current GAFCON Council meeting in Abuja represents the next step in that process. According to leaders speaking at today’s press conference, the most consequential development under consideration is the election of a primus inter pares, or “first among equals,” who will serve as a collegial leader among the primates of the GAFCON fellowship. If confirmed by the gathered primates, this would mark the most significant structural development in global Anglican leadership since the first Lambeth Conference convened in 1867.

Historically, the Archbishop of Canterbury functioned in this role by long-standing custom as the symbolic center of the Anglican Communion. The new proposal would instead recognize a primus inter pares elected from among the primates of the faithful Anglican provinces represented within the GAFCON movement. GAFCON leaders emphasized that the role would not carry doctrinal authority over provinces, which will continue to retain their full autonomy. Rather, the primus inter pares would serve as a collegial figurehead and spokesperson for the global fellowship, chair the emerging Global Anglican Council, and represent the Communion in ecumenical contexts.

The significance of this development extends beyond a single leadership role. For many within the GAFCON movement, the creation of these new structures represents a decisive step toward re-centering the global Anglican Communion around shared theological commitments rather than inherited institutional ties. Leaders emphasized that the unity of the Anglican family must ultimately rest on faithfulness to Scripture and the historic teachings of the Church rather than on historic offices alone.

The election is scheduled to take place the evening of March 4, when the primates will gather for prayer and dinner before casting their votes. The results of that vote are expected to be announced publicly on the afternoon of Thursday, March 5.

In addition to the new leadership role, the press conference highlighted the development of the Global Anglican Council, a new governing body intended to provide broader representation for Anglican provinces and dioceses aligned with GAFCON. Leaders indicated that further details about the council’s structure and responsibilities will be released in the future. The council is expected to reflect a more representative form of governance within the global Anglican movement, while maintaining the historic Anglican principle that each province retains authority within its own jurisdiction.

Membership in the emerging structures will be grounded in theological commitments articulated in the Jerusalem Statement and Declaration, which GAFCON leaders reaffirmed as the foundational doctrinal basis for faithful Anglican provinces. The Rev. Cn. Justin Murff, Gafcon’s Communications Officer, emphasized that the Scriptures remain the central bond uniting the churches represented at the gathering. The Bible, he noted, continues to serve as the defining authority that binds together Anglican provinces committed to the historic faith.

With bishops and primates gathered from across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and other regions of the world, the meeting in Abuja represents one of the broadest gatherings of the Global South Anglican movement in recent years. As the council continues its deliberations, the decisions made in Abuja may well mark a defining moment in the ongoing realignment of global Anglicanism. With new leadership structures emerging and renewed commitments to biblical authority and historic Anglican doctrine, GAFCON leaders believe the movement is entering a new phase of global cooperation among provinces committed to the orthodox Anglican faith.

Further announcements are expected following the announcement of the primates’ vote on March 5.