Secretary-General Congratulates Newly Elected Pope Francis,

Looks Forward to Continued Cooperation with Holy See

 

The following statement was issued today by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

I offer my heartfelt congratulations to Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, who has taken the name Pope Francis on his assumption of the papacy, and to all Catholics across the world on this momentous occasion.

I look forward to continuing cooperation between the United Nations and the Holy See, under the wise leadership of His Holiness Pope Francis.

We share many common goals — from the promotion of peace, social justice and human rights, to the eradication of poverty and hunger — all core elements of sustainable development.

We also share the conviction that we can only resolve the interconnected challenges of today’s world through dialogue.  I am certain that His Holiness will continue to build on the legacy of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, in the promotion of inter-faith dialogue, which is at the heart of the Alliance of Civilizations initiative.

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For information media • not an official record