Gabon and Vatican Sign Education Deal

VATICAN CITY, JULY 26, 2001 (Zenit.org).- The Vatican and the government of Gabon signed an agreement today which will allow students to receive Catholic religious education in the country´s school system.

The agreement, on the "Statute of Catholic Education," is the first of its kind signed with a French-speaking African country.

The ceremony was attended by Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran, Vatican secretary for relations with states, and André Mba Obame, Minister of National Education of Gabon.

During the ceremony, Archbishop Tauran said that, with the pact, the Church shows her commitment "to continue to ensure her ... work in the service of education and the formation of Gabonese youth."