His Holiness Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City.


Your Holiness,
We wish to be in communion with you and to associate ourselves with your ministry during your upcoming visit to the African continent. In anticipation of your trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and South Sudan at a date to be determined soon, we the undersigned, in solidarity with our African brothers and sisters, are writing to bring to your attention some of the current challenges the continent is facing.

We ask to use your offices to mobilize once again the whole of Africa to find adequate solutions. It is particularly a question of:
• The growing deterioration of security,
• The urgent need for good governance,
• The fight against corruption and the lack of accountability of leaders to build the Africa that Africans want.
• Land grabbing (often disguised as investment), which is just a new form of colonization of Africa.

Other equally important issues confront the continent, such as human trafficking, women's economic empowerment, arms trade, illicit financial flows, drug addiction among the youth, and unemployment.
Your Holiness, we ask you to mention these problems in your message to the citizens of the host countries, to African political leaders, and to all people of good will in the world. Let those affected know that we are not indifferent to their suffering and do not wish to be complicit by remaining silent.