Pope Francis accused “competent authorities” of being complicit in the plight of migrants. He said that in his speech during his visit at the "Peace Lab", a shelter for African migrants.
The Pontiff closed his two - day long visit in Malta with a step in Hal-Far, an area in the South of the island where many refugee centres are concentrated. He met with residents of the Peace Lab and numerous asylum seekers and refugees living in the country.
Two migrants shared their difficult experiences of migration in the island. Daniel Jude Oukeguale from Nigeria recounted his journey across the Sahara desert and through Libya and the Mediterranean sea until Europe. A story of smuggling, beating, abusive jail time in Malta and despair.
Another man for Ivory Coast, expectant Father Siriman Coulibaly explained to the Pope how precarious the realities of life for African migrants is in Malta. He called Hal Far and its numerous centres a “ place of invisibility” and thanked the Pontiff for his visit.
In his speech, Pope Francis spoke about the importance of human dignity, urging people not to give up on humanity, “not to fall in the trap” of discouragement because problems seem too big to be solved.
He said that the dream for security that triggers many migrants´decision to migrate is often broken "with the complicity of the competent authorities' '. The Pope assured attendees of his prayers for the improvement of the migratory regimes worldwide.
On his way out at the end of the visit, Francis went on a walkabout, shaking hands and blessing children.
Watch the Pope 's arrival at thePeace Lab.
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