ROME, October 28, 2013 - World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and His Holiness Pope Francis met today at the Vatican to discuss their mutual efforts to end extreme poverty and provide greater opportunities for the poor and vulnerable.
“I was so grateful to meet with the Holy Father and was inspired by his passion and commitment to help the poor, the sick, and the hungry,” Kim said. “We talked about ways we could work together with faith leaders to make a preferential option for the poor, so they can have greater opportunity and justice in their lives.”
Kim thanked Pope Francis for his strong statements encouraging humble service to the less fortunate, as well as his support for better education, health care, environmental protection, and jobs with fair wages to help the poor lift themselves out of poverty.
Following the 20-minute meeting, Pope Francis and Kim agreed to explore ways to work together to end extreme poverty.
“At the World Bank Group, we have set a goal to end extreme poverty in less than a generation, and to boost shared prosperity for the bottom 40 percent of people in developing countries,” Kim said. “Pope Francis and I agree on the urgent moral imperative to lessen the suffering of over 1 billion people and to end the scandal of poverty. We share a vision of a world with greater compassion for all people in need.”
During his visit, Kim also met with Monseigneur Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States, and discussed closer collaboration between the Church and the World Bank Group.
“Pope Francis unites us all with the moral clarity of his message on poverty,” Kim said. “We must address the root causes of poverty by giving the poor access to education, health care, and good jobs--benefitting women, young people, and those denied opportunities in the past.”
