G20 must prioritize poor, refugees -pope (2)

(ANSA) - Vatican City, July 7 - Pope Francis called on world leaders to prioritize helping the poor and refugees in his message for the G20 summit in Hamburg. "In the minds and hearts of government leaders, and at every phase of the enactment of political measures, there is a need to give absolute priority to the poor, refugees, the suffering, evacuees and the excluded, without distinction of nation, race, religion or culture, and to reject armed conflicts," the message read.
    He also made a "heartfelt appeal" regarding "the tragic situation in South Sudan, the Lake Chad basin, the Horn of Africa and Yemen, where thirty million people are lacking the food and water needed to survive". The Argentine pontiff called for a "commitment to meet these situations with urgency and to provide immediately support to those peoples will be a sign of the seriousness and sincerity of the mid-term commitment to reforming the world economy and a guarantee of its sound development".