Pope urges G20 not to forget poor

REMINDER: HUNGER, UNEMPLOYMENT

Leaders of world’s biggest economies to meet in Australia.

Pope Francis has called on G20 leaders not to forget the poor, saying to do so would be “regrett able”, as the heads of the world’s most powerful economies prepare to meet in Australia.

The Group of 20 leaders are expected to sign off in Brisbane this weekend on a pledge to boost the level of their combined economic output by at least 2% above the currently projected level in the next five years, creating millions of jobs.

In a letter to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, who holds the G20’s rotating presidency, the pope said world powers “must not forget many lives are at stake behind these political and technical discussions”.

“And it would indeed be regrettable if such discussions were to remain purely on the level of declarations of principle,” he said in the letter, sent on November 6 but only made public yesterday.

“There are far too many women and men suffering from severe malnutrition, a rise in the number of the unemployed, an extremely high percentage of young people without work and an increase in social exclusion, which can lead to criminal activity and even the recruitment of terrorists.”