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France 24
France 24
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François PICARD

Pope Francis and Africa: After DR Congo, high-stakes visit to South Sudan

THE DEBATE © FRANCE 24

In Kinshasa on Wednesday, the pope called for mutual forgiveness as he met with survivors of the brutal three-decade old war in eastern DR Congo. It was just one of the highlights of a three-day visit that comes at a crucial juncture for the nation that is home to Africa's largest Catholic population, one where the Church often fills the role of the state in providing basic social services and where the clergy's mediation matters in what's an election year for DR Congo.

It is also a crucial juncture for the Church. 86-year-old Pope Francis comes to the continent as a reformer at a time when the Church's influence elsewhere is dented by disinterest and scandal. We ask what direction the faithful in Africa want ahead of his next stop: civil war-torn South Sudan.

Produced by Yann Pusztai, Sara Ayach and Louise Guibert.

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