VATICAN CITY JANUARY 17, 2017(CISA) – Pope Francis on January 16 met Prof. Alpha Condé, President of the Republic of Guinea at the Vatican.
In a press statement released by the Vatican, he described the meeting as cordial and said they highlighted the good relations that exist between the Holy See and the Republic of Guinea.
The statement focused on questions of common interest such as integral human development, care of the environment, the fight against poverty and social injustice and the development of adequate policies in regards to the phenomenon of migration.
The important role and the contribution of Catholic institutions that operate in the country, particularly in fields of education, healthcare and the promotion of inter-religious dialogue were also discussed and highlighted.
The statement also noted the Republic of Guinea’s concrete commitment to work for peace in the West African region as one of the issues discussed during the visit.
The leader of the West African nation also met with the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and with the Vatican Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.
Prof. Alpha Condé has been President of the Republic of Guinea since December 2010 after having spent decades in opposition to a succession of regimes.
When he took office he became the first freely elected president in the country’s history, and then he was reelected in 2015 with almost 58 percent of the vote.
