- Title: Pope Francis arrives in Madagascar welcomed by president Rajoelina
- Date: 6th September 2019
- Summary: ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR (SEPTEMBER 6, 2019) (REUTERS) POPE FRANCIS GETTING OFF PLANE / GREETING MADAGASCAR PRESIDENT ANDRY RAJOELINA AND HIS WIFE MIALY VARIOUS OF POPE FRANCIS AND RAJOELINA WALKING
- Embargoed: 20th September 2019 14:56
- Keywords: Pope arrival Madagascar Antananarivo Pope trip to Africa Pope Francis
- Location: ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR
- City: ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR
- Country: Madagascar
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001AVISL6V
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Pope Francis landed in Antananarivo, Madagascar on Friday (September 6) starting the second leg of his six-day trip in Africa.
Upon arrival Francis received military honours and was welcomed by the country's president Andry Rajoelina and his wife Mialy.
Environment is expected to be high on the pope's agenda as he visits the continent where Catholicism is growing fast.
In Madagascar, the world's fourth-largest island, about 44% of forests have disappeared over the past 60 years, according to the French agricultural research centre CIRAD. The environmental danger there is aggravated because 80% of its plant and animal species are not found anywhere else.
Poverty, war and corruption will also loom large during the trip.
According to the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) more than 90% of Madagascar's population of 26 million live on less than $2.00 a day and chronic child malnutrition is widespread.
Pope Francis will also briefly visit Mauritius at the end of his trip.
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