Yesterday, Monday 13 February, Pope Tawadros received President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, in the papal headquarters in Abbassiya. Accompanied with a Togolese delegation President Gnassingbé is on a State visit to Egypt, and has already met President Sisi.
The Togolose President offered Pope Tawadros his condolences for the 29 Copts who lost their lives to the Boutrossiya terrorist blast which took place last December. He made a point of visiting the Boutrossiya church following his visit to the papal headquarters.
President Gnassingbé said that we should all stand side by side to fight terrorism and counter extremist thought. This could be done first and foremost through entrenching noble values and spiritual dimensions in youth in order to protect them from extremist fanatic thought, he commented. President Gnassingbé expressed his gratitude to the Coptic Church for the services it offers the Togolese people on that score, and on many other fronts. He particularly mentioned the medical convoys that the Coptic Church sends to Togo, stressing how much the Togolese people benefit from them. He thanked Egypt’s Ambassador to Togo Karim Sherif for his efforts in enhancing relations between Egypt and Togo.
On his part, Pope Tawadros expressed his happiness with President Gnassingbé’s visit to the Egypt and the Coptic Church. He stressed that the Coptic Church is part and parcel of Egypt which is in turn part and parcel of Africa. He pointed out to President Sisi’s drive to strengthen Egyptian African relations, and said the Coptic Church follows the same path. “We serve all human beings according to their needs, wherever the place and whenever the time,” the Pope said.
In reference to the Coptic Church’s medical convoys mentioned by President Gnassingbé, Pope Tawadros said that members of these convoys always come back home happy with the reception given them by the Togolese people, and by the service they could offer in the name of Egypt.
Pope Tawadros expressed his deep appreciation for President Gnassingbé’s decision to allocate a plot of land in Togo for the erection of a Coptic church there.
Watani International
14 February 2017