PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) – The head of Haiti’s Transitional Presidential Council (TPC), Leslie Voltaire, held a private audience with Pope Francis last weekend, according to an official statement issued.

It said that during the 20-minute audience on Saturday, Voltaire, on behalf of the Haitian population, thanked the Pope for his constant support and messages of encouragement, particularly through the Urbi et Orbi (Papal blessings given by the Pope on important occasions) declarations, which deeply comfort Haitian Catholic Christians around the world.

The statement said that during the meeting, topics of importance were discussed including the defence of human rights, the fight against poverty and inequality, political instability, peace-making efforts in Haiti, as well as the climate challenges that aggravate Haiti’s vulnerability.

The statement said Pope Francis renewed his call for social and political harmony in the Americas, with a focus on Haiti, and expressed his support for the Haitian people and affirmed his prayers for a peaceful and stable nation.

It said that Pope Francis presented Voltaire with a bronze bas-relief entitled “Dialogue between the Generations”, this year’s Message for Peace, the book on the Statio Orbis of March 27, 2020, and the volume on the papal audience apartment.

The statement said that Voltaire also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state of the Holy See, who was accompanied by Secretary for Relations with States, Monsignor Paul Richard Gallagher.

“During the cordial discussions at the Secretariat of State, satisfaction with the good relations between Haiti and the Holy See was expressed,” the statement said, adding that emphasis was then placed on the valuable contribution that the church offers to the country, despite the difficulties caused by the current crisis.

Last week, the head of the United Nations Office in Haiti (BINUH), Maria Isabel Salvador, said the French-speaking Caribbean Community (Caricom) country is showing signs of progress on the political front despite serious setbacks in terms of security.

“At this crucial time, Haiti needs your continued support more than ever,” she told the United Nations (UN) Security Council, speaking from the Haitian capital.

Armed gangs continue terrorising the Haitian population and the insecurity has impacted humanitarian operations.

Salvador said the Haitian National Police (HNP), supported by the Kenya-led UN Security Council-backed Multinational Security Support mission (MSS) and, in some cases, the Armed Forces of Haiti, has made efforts to respond to the surge in violence.