Pope Francis met with a group representing indigenous peoples ahead of his Wednesday General Audience,
speaking to them about the need to "reconcile the right to development,
both social and cultural, with the protection of the particular
characteristics of indigenous peoples and their territories".
The representatives are participating in the Indigenous Peoples’
Forum hosted in Rome by the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD).
The biennial meeting aims to promote greater
economic empowerment of indigenous peoples.
In his brief address to representatives, Pope Francis discussed two aspects of the economic empowerment of indigenous peoples.
He said, “The central issue is how to reconcile the right to
development, both social and cultural, with the protection of the
particular characteristics of indigenous peoples and their territories.”
This is especially clear, he said, “when planning economic activities
which may interfere with indigenous cultures and their ancestral
relationship to the earth”.
He said confrontation and conflict can be overcome through “prior and
informed consent” of indigenous peoples for initiates proposed by
governing authorities.
The Holy Father said the second aspect “concerns the development of
guidelines and projects which take into account indigenous identity”.
He called on governments to recognize “that indigenous communities
are a part of the population to be appreciated and consulted, and whose
full participation should be promoted at the local and national level”.
The Pope said IFAD “can contribute effectively to this needed road map through its funding and expertise”.
IFAD was established in 1977 as an international financial
institution dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing
countries.
Some 75% of the world's poorest people - 1.4 billion women, children
and men - live in rural areas and depend on agriculture and related
activities for their livelihoods.
Please find below the official translation of the Pope’s speech:
Dear Friends,
I am pleased to welcome you at the conclusion of the third Indigenous
Peoples’ Forum convened by the International Fund for Agricultural
Development, which this year is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of
its foundation.
You have come together to identify ways of giving greater economic
empowerment to indigenous peoples. I believe that the central issue is
how to reconcile the right to development, both social and cultural,
with the protection of the particular characteristics of indigenous
peoples and their territories.
This is especially clear when planning economic activities which may
interfere with indigenous cultures and their ancestral relationship to
the earth. In this regard, the right to prior and informed consent
should always prevail, as foreseen in Article 32 of the Declaration on
the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Only then is it possible to guarantee
peaceful cooperation between governing authorities and indigenous
peoples, overcoming confrontation and conflict.
A second aspect concerns the development of guidelines and projects
which take into account indigenous identity, with particular attention
to young people and women; not only considering them, but including
them! For governments this means recognizing that indigenous communities
are a part of the population to be appreciated and consulted, and whose
full participation should be promoted at the local and national level.
IFAD can contribute effectively to this needed road map through its
funding and expertise, keeping in mind that “a technological and
economic development which does not leave in its wake a better world and
an integrally higher quality of life cannot be considered progress” (Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, 194).
I offer you heartfelt thanks for your presence, and I ask the
Almighty to bless your communities and to enlighten the work of all
those responsible for governing IFAD.