Merkel and Pope Francis want to help poor countries face pandemic

• The conversation centred on the humanitarian and political situation in view of the pandemic and the importance of cohesion and solidarity in Europe and the world.
• Merkel, daughter of a Lutheran pastor who has met Pope Francis before, also invited him to visit Germany as soon as circumstances allow.

BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Pope Francis discussed the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on the world in a phone call on Thursday and agreed on the need to help poorer countries, her spokesman said.

The conversation centred on the humanitarian and political situation in view of the pandemic and the importance of cohesion and solidarity in Europe and the world, spokesman Steffen Seibert said in a statement.

"Both favoured supporting in particular poorer countries in the coronavirus pandemic," he added.

Merkel, daughter of a Lutheran pastor who has met Pope Francis before, also invited him to visit Germany as soon as circumstances allow.