Defeating poverty is not just an economic issue but is above all a moral fight that requires social solidarity, Pope Francis told a conference Friday at the Vatican.
"The fight against poverty is not merely a technical economic problem, but above all a moral one, calling for global solidarity," Francis told business, charity, humanitarian aid and peace-building leaders.
Poverty and migration "transcend national and continental boundaries, and affect the entire human family," Francis said, urging greater social justice.
In the longer term, nations must develop political, social and economic policies that meet "the needs and aspirations of individuals and peoples worldwide,” he said, quoted by Vatican Radio.
The pontiff gave the example of high youth unemployment rates, calling these "a scandal" and "a social ill".
"An economic vision that is wholly oriented towards profits and material wealth...cannot contribute positively...to an equitable distribution of resources, decent jobs for all and the growth of local private enterprise," Francis concluded.
