Community of Sant’Egidio given formal protection

Inter-religious dialogue, aid for migrants and refugees and the protection of minority Christian communities are included in a formal agreement between the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Community of Sant’Egidio.

The Community, which is a Catholic charity, has been helping the poor in many countries since the 1970s.

The accord with the French ministry is the latest example of the Community’s prominent role in international relations and diplomacy.

Its most recent achievement is a joint mission with Caritas Italiana.

The two charities have combined forces to open a humanitarian aid corridor in Ethiopia from Addis Ababa.

This is the first humanitarian aid corridor to be opened under a Memorandum of Understanding signed in Rome in January.

The Memorandum of Understanding with the Italian State was  promoted by the Italian Episcopal Conference, which operates through Caritas Italiana, the Migrantes Foundation and the Community of Sant’Egidio.

It has been given funds to help transfer 500 Eritrean, Somali and South Sudanese refugees from camps in Ethiopia in two years.

UN agencies working with refugees have offered full cooperation. One of these agencies is ARRA, the State agency which deals with more than 850,000 refugees in Ethiopia.

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