Pope Francis met with Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali, this morning.
According to a statement released by the Holy See Press Office this morning noting their discussions were cordial, it stressed that the parties evoked the good existing relations between the Holy See and Ethiopia.
«Important initiatives underway for the promotion of national reconciliation and for the full development of the country were noted, it said, noting: «In this context, we did not fail to highlight the role of Christianity in the history of the Ethiopian people and the contribution of Catholic institutions in education and healthcare.»
The parties, it noted, focused on the regional situation, on the peaceful solution of conflicts and on the socio-economic development in Africa.
In particular, there was talk of Ethiopia’s commitment to the stabilization of the Horn of Africa, with special reference to the recent agreement and the resuming of diplomatic relations with Eritrea.
After meeting with the Pope, the prime minister met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Under-Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Antoine Camilleri.
