Pope Francis received Faustin-Archange Touadéra, president of the Central African Republic since 2016, in a January 27 audience.
“The meeting focused on the social, political, and humanitarian situation in the Central African country, with an emphasis on enhancing international cooperation for the nation’s common good,” AfricaNews reported.
In Touadéra’s subsequent meeting with the Holy See’s Secretary of State and Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations, the parties recalled the Pontiff’s 2015 apostolic journey and spoke about Church-state relations, according to a Vatican statement.
The war-torn nation of 5.6 million (map) is 75% Christian (39% Catholic), 14% Muslim, and 10% ethnic religionist.