President George Vella made a farewell call on Pope Francis on Thursday, less than two weeks before his term as president ends.

The Office of the President said the Pope and President Vella underlined the strong relations between Malta and the Holy See and also spoke on current world affairs. The president outlined Malta’s role in promoting peace as an elected member of the United Nations Security Council, and since January as head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).  

The President and Pope Francis also spoke about challenges such as migration and climate change.

President Vella had also visited the pope soon after his term started in 2019. He welcomed the pope to Malta two years ago.  

The president on behalf of the people of Malta presented Pope Francis with six computers as a donation to the Madre di Misericordia Clinic, which offers free healthcare to people living in poverty and hardship.

Later in the day, President Vella, accompanied by Foreign Minister Ian Borg, had a meeting with the Vatican’s Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

The Maltese delegation also visited the Madre di Misericordia Clinic, which opened in 2015 at the initiative of Pope Francis. The clinic offers healthcare to around 6,000 people a year.