Pope Francis received Fernando Clavijo Batlle, the president of the government of the Canary Islands (map), for 40 minutes on January 15 and thanked the people of the Spanish autonomous region for welcoming migrants.
Clavijo, who was accompanied by other government officials and three local bishops, said that the Pontiff was well informed about the situation of the migrants there. “Europe has to reflect, the world has to reflect on what we want to do with Africa,” said Clavijo; “as His Holiness said, the problem has to be solved in Africa.”