In response to questions about the resignation of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, the Spokesperson for the Secretary-General has the following to say:

The Secretary-General has learnt of the decision of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to resign on 28 February 2013.   Recalling the Pope's visit to the United Nations Headquarters in April 2008, the Secretary-General expresses his appreciation for the profound commitment of Pope Benedict to inter-faith dialogue and to addressing such global challenges as the alleviation of poverty and hunger, as well as the promotion of human rights and peace.   He hopes that the wisdom demonstrated during his Pontificate may stand as a legacy on which to build further dialogue and tolerance.