Pope Francis praised both Greece and Italy for their hospitality towards migrants, while referring to a different attitude that other countries should have on migration during a flight from Switzerland to the Vatican.
“Greece and Italy were extremely generous in welcoming migrants,” said the head of the Roman Catholic Church. “Countries should welcome people who are fleeing poverty and war,” the Pope added, while noting that “every country should do this with the governmental virtue, which is good judgement. To accept as many migrants as can be integrated into society, offering them work and education”.
The Pope also expressed deep dismay that migrants on smuggler boats are being turned back to Libyan waters, returning them to lawless Libya, where desperate migrants are thrown in prisons to face trout and other abuse. “Africa should not become an object of more exploitation but a destination for investments,” he said, noting that many European countries had rightly adopted this view already.
Pope Francis endorsed European proposals to develop jobs and education in African countries. Greece, Italy and some other European Union nations that have borne the brunt of the migrant crisis have been pushing for more development aid to Africa so poor people there won’t risk their lives in the hands of traffickers in hopes of reaching Europe and a better life.
“So many European governments are thinking of an urgent plan to intelligently invest in those countries, to give jobs and education,” Pope Francis said with approval.
In 2016, Pope Francis visited the island of Lesvos in Greece, in the height of the migrant crisis and took 12 Muslim refugees from Syria, including six children, with him back to Rome aboard the papal plane.
