After the collapse of the Soviet Union the Orthodox Church in Ukraine split into three bodies, only one of which, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), was recognised by the other Orthodox Churches.

In 2019 the Patriarch of Constantinople switched recognition one of the other bodies, now known as the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU). The Patriarch of Alexandria and all Africa continued to recognise the UOC (Ukrainian Orthodox Church) untin November 2019, and then similarly switched recognition. A number of clergy in Africa were unhappy with this step, and some of them asked to join the Patriarchate of Moscow. This has redulted in a schism in Africa, triggered by the earlier one in Ukraine.