Each year, the pope gives a Christmas-New Year's address to the diplomats from the 183 countries with which the Vatican has diplomatic relations.
It's a chance for the pope to give his take on the state of the world, as he stands before those who represent every corner of the planet.
This year, speaking of the "endless conflicts" that are plaguing some countries, these are the issues that he highlighted:
Syria - "where the country’s rebirth does not yet clearly appear on the horizon" ... "the imposition of sanctions should not strike directly at everyday life, in order to provide a glimmer of hope to the general populace, increasingly caught in the grip of poverty"
Yemen - "a human tragedy that has gone on for years, silently, far from the spotlight of the media and with a certain indifference on the part of the international community"
Israel and Palestine - "in the past year, no steps forward were made in the peace process" ..."I would truly like to see these two peoples rebuild mutual trust and resume speaking directly to each other" ... "to reach the point where they can live in two states, side by side"
Libya - "institutional tensions"
Sahel region - "episodes of violence by international terrorism"
And internal conflict in:
Sudan
He spoke of the "inequality and injustice, endemic corruption and various forms of poverty" fueling conflict on the American continent
"Reciprocal trust and readiness to engage in calm discussion" needed in:
Ukraine
Southern Caucasus
The Balkans, primarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina - so "the outbreak of new crises can be avoided"
Myanmar - "its streets, once places of encounter, are now the scene of fighting that does not spare even houses of prayer"
