蜜桃交友

By Lisa Zengarini

The Board of Directors of the John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel is meeting in Dakar, Senegal, this week for its 43rd session.

Supporting  drought-stricken populations in the Sahel

The pontifical foundation was established in 1984 by Pope St. John Paul II following his first Apostolic Journey to Africa in 1980, to provide the Holy See’s concrete support to the drought-stricken populations in the nine Sahel countries in collaboration with the local Church and communities.  The Sahel which includes Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Chad is one of the poorest regions in the world.  

The Foundation, whose governance is entrusted to the local bishops and is currently part of the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, focuses on combating desertification, aiding drought victims, and promoting sustainable development by supporting projects in environmental protection, agriculture, water management, and renewable energy.

A significant aspect of its work involves training specialized technical personnel who can contribute effectively to their communities. It also fosters inter-religious dialogue, benefiting people of different faiths.

Armed conflicts and natural disasters making Africa fragile

The focus of the Dakar session, running from 17-21 February, is how the pontifical foundation can further support and promote integral human development in the Sahel amid increasing challenges, including armed conflicts, political unrest and natural disasters.

According to Monsignor Roberto Campisi, Undersecretary for General Affairs of the Vatican Secretariat of State who adressed participants on Tuesday, 18 February,  if the foundation  is to effectively fulfill its mission in the face these challenges that are making the region even more fragile,  it  must continue to focus on integral human development while also structuring its initiatives based on the guidelines set out by Pope Francis in the

Thanking the Archbishop of Dakar, Benjamin Ndiaye, for hosting the gathering, the Vatican Undersecretary described it as "a sign of fraternal attention" and "a powerful testimony to the communion" among the bishops entrusted with the management of the Foundation, and reaffirmed Pope Francis’ ongoing support to its mission.

Finally, he expressed hope that the gathering would also serve as an opportunity to reflect together on the new regulations governing Vatican foundations, following Pope Francis' call for a reform of the Roman Curia that begins, above all, with an inner transformation

Combating poverty and promoting development to prevent conflicts

Also speaking at the session on Tuesday was Sister Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, who emphasized the need to address the injustices underlying conflicts in the Sahel.

Echoing Pope Francis, she urged collective efforts to combat poverty, promote integral human development, and foster peaceful coexistence. Her remarks reinforced the idea that the foundation’s work should not be limited to providing immediate aid but should also seek sustainable solutions that uphold human dignity and social harmony.

Sister Smerilli also expressed gratitude for the continued commitment to building a better Africa—one where fraternity is not just an ideal but a lived reality.

Reflecting on the new perspectives introduced by Pope Francis’ recent reform of pontifical foundations, Sister Smerilli expressed her hope that the initiatives undertaken will reflect "the universal values of justice, solidarity, and compassion, and be directed toward the common good, working for peace and social friendship, bringing about changes that foster the integral development of humanity in the Sahel."