Pope Francis has slammed Donald Trump's plan to build a wall on the Mexican border, saying migration will 'never be resolved by raising barriers'.

The 82-year-old made the comments as he arrived for the start of a two-day visit to Morocco today, aimed at showing solidarity with Morocco's growing migrant community.

At a welcome ceremony in the capital of Rabat today, the Pope said that a wall would only stir up 'fear' and deny help to those who genuinely need it.

'The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families,' he said.

It comes as US President Donald Trump vows to fulfil his campaign pledge to build a wall along the border with Mexico.

And on Friday threatened to close the border next week if Mexico did not stop immigrants reaching the United States.

The Pope continued: 'We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity.'

Francis was joined at the welcome ceremony by Moroccan King Mohammed VI, who has been working to spread a moderate form of Islam that promotes inter-religious dialogue and rejects any form of terrorism or violence in God's name.

In recent months, migration has again risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of North African and European countries and the United States.

Morocco has become a key departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe after crackdowns that closed or limited routes elsewhere. Italy's anti-immigrant interior minister has closed ports to rescue ships run by charity groups.

Francis, who has made defence of migrants and refugees a key part of his preaching, said he was concerned about their 'frequently grim fate' and receiving countries must acknowledge that migrants are forced to leave their homes because of poverty and political upheaval.

From the airport to the city centre, Francis, 82, was driven in a white popemobile on a drizzly day as the 55-year-old king rode beside him standing in a separate vehicle, a vintage black 1969 open-top Mercedes 600 Pullman.

At one point, a man rushed towards the king's car but was stopped and detained by guards as the motorcade continued along the street lined with bystanders. Police said he was a 17-year-old Moroccan who wanted to seek help from the king for his sick parents.

After the arrival ceremony Francis and the king visited an institute the monarch founded in 2015 for the training of imams and male and female preachers of Islam.

Morocco, which is nearly 100 percent Muslim, has marketed itself as an oasis of religious tolerance in a region torn by militancy. It has offered training to Muslim preachers from Africa and Europe on what it describes as moderate Islam.

Francis, making the first papal visit to Morocco in 34 years, praised the monarch for providing 'sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which, in any event, constitute an offence against religion and against God himself'.

The king said learning was the only way to combat religious extremism. 'To tackle radicalism, the solution is neither military no financial; that solution has but one name: education,' the king said. 'What all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion.'</s>Members of the clergy watch as Pope Francis and King Mohammed VI of Morocco visit the Hassan Tower esplanade in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday (Reuters photo)

RABAT — Pope Francis said on Saturday that problems of migration would never be resolved by physical barriers, but instead required social justice and correcting the world's economic imbalances.

Francis, starting a two-day visit to Morocco, also backed Moroccan King Mohammed VI's efforts to spread a moderate form of Islam that promotes inter-religious dialogue and rejects any form of terrorism or violence in God's name.

In recent months, migration has again risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of north African and European countries and the United States.

US President Donald Trump, has vowed to fulfil his campaign pledge to build a wall along the border with Mexico and on Friday threatened to close the border next week if Mexico did not stop immigrants reaching the United States.

"The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families," Francis said at the welcoming ceremony.

"We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity," he said.

Morocco has become a key departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe after crackdowns that closed or limited routes elsewhere. Italy's anti-immigrant interior minister has closed ports to rescue ships run by charity groups.

Francis, who has made defence of migrants and refugees a key part of his preaching, said he was concerned about their "frequently grim fate" and receiving countries must acknowledge that migrants are forced to leave their homes because of poverty and political upheaval.

From the airport to the city centre, Francis, 82, was driven in a white popemobile on a drizzly day as the 55-year-old king rode beside him standing in a separate vehicle, a vintage black 1969 open-top Mercedes 600 Pullman. At one point, a man rushed towards the king's car but was stopped by guards as the motorcade continued along the street lined with bystanders.

After the arrival ceremony Francis and the king were visiting an institute the monarch founded in 2015 for the training of imams and male and female preachers of Islam

Morocco, which is nearly 100 per cent Muslim, has marketed itself as an oasis of religious tolerance in a region torn by militancy. It has offered training to Muslim preachers from Africa and Europe on what it describes as moderate Islam.

Francis, making the first papal visit to Morocco in 34 years, praised the monarch for providing "sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which, in any event, constitute an offence against religion and against God himself".

The king said learning was the only way to combat religious extremism. "To tackle radicalism, the solution is neither military nor financial; that solution has but one name: education," the king said. "What all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion."</s>POPE Francis had a security scare today when a man sprinted towards the car he was in with the King of Morocco.

The man appears to be holding an envelope as he ran towards the cars holding King Mohammed VI and the pope in Morocco. Security agents tackled the man as he belted towards the train of cars driving through the streets of Rabat. The cars continued on their journey to the Hassan Tower complex for a formal welcome ceremony. It is unclear what happened to the man after he was tackled, however the King and the Pope did not appear to have noticed the attempted intrusion.

“The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers” The Pontif is in Morocco for two days, with the visit aimed at boosting Christian-Muslim ties. During the visit today, Pope Francis said the plight of migrants was "a wound that cries out to heaven" and could never be healed by physical barriers. Francis also backed Moroccan King Mohammed VI's efforts to spread a form of Islam that promotes inter-religious dialogue and rejects violence in God's name.

In recent months, migration has again risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of North African and European countries and the United States. "The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families," Francis said at the welcoming ceremony. "We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity," he added.

Morocco has become a key departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe after crackdowns that closed or limited routes elsewhere. Francis, who has made defence of migrants and refugees a key part of his preaching, said he was concerned about their "frequently grim fate" and receiving countries must acknowledge that migrants were forced to leave their homes because of poverty and political upheaval. Francis and the king visited an institute the monarch founded to train imams and male and female preachers of Islam.</s>In his address to Moroccans shortly after reaching the capital Rabat on Saturday, Pope Francis said it was "essential to oppose fanaticism."

The "appropriate preparation of future religious guides is necessary," said the pontiff, who has put interreligious dialogue at the center of his two-day visit to the North African country, the first by a pope in 34 years.

Francis also defended "freedom of conscience" and "religious freedom" as fundamental for human dignity, and called on the faithful to "live as brothers."

The Pope praised Morocco's efforts to promote an Islam that repudiates extremism. Morocco, a Sunni-Muslim kingdom of 36 million people, overhauled its religious policies following terrorist bombings in Casablanca in 2003 that killed 43 people.

Read more: Morocco breaks up recruitment cell for 'Islamic State'

The pontiff was unequivocal in his support for Middle Eastern and North African migrants who flee their war-torn countries in search of refuge in Europe. Morocco has become a key departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe.

Francis stressed that social and economic justice, and not physical barriers, is the way to resolve the migration problems.

"The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families," Francis said at the welcoming ceremony.

"We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity," he said.

One of the highlights of the pontiff's Morocco tour is his Saturday visit to the Mohammed VI Institute, a school of learning for imams that are exponents of a softer version of Islam.

In February, Francis visited the United Arab Emirates, where he and the imam of Cairo's Al Azhar university signed a landmark joint statement emphasizing the brotherly relation between Catholics and Muslims.

King Mohammed VI backed Pope Francis' efforts to strengthen inter-religious harmony and said the only way to combat radicalism is through education.

"What all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion," he stressed.

Francis lauded King Mohammed VI's efforts to promote a moderate form of Islam that values inter-religious dialogue and rejects terrorism in God's name.

Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>Members of the clergy watch as Pope Francis and King Mohammed VI of Morocco visit the Hassan Tower esplanade in Rabat, Morocco, on Saturday (Reuters photo)

RABAT — Pope Francis said on Saturday that problems of migration would never be resolved by physical barriers, but instead required social justice and correcting the world's economic imbalances.

Francis, starting a two-day visit to Morocco, also backed Moroccan King Mohammed VI's efforts to spread a moderate form of Islam that promotes inter-religious dialogue and rejects any form of terrorism or violence in God's name.

In recent months, migration has again risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of north African and European countries and the United States.

US President Donald Trump, has vowed to fulfil his campaign pledge to build a wall along the border with Mexico and on Friday threatened to close the border next week if Mexico did not stop immigrants reaching the United States.

"The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families," Francis said at the welcoming ceremony.

"We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity," he said.

Morocco has become a key departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe after crackdowns that closed or limited routes elsewhere. Italy's anti-immigrant interior minister has closed ports to rescue ships run by charity groups.

Francis, who has made defence of migrants and refugees a key part of his preaching, said he was concerned about their "frequently grim fate" and receiving countries must acknowledge that migrants are forced to leave their homes because of poverty and political upheaval.

From the airport to the city centre, Francis, 82, was driven in a white popemobile on a drizzly day as the 55-year-old king rode beside him standing in a separate vehicle, a vintage black 1969 open-top Mercedes 600 Pullman. At one point, a man rushed towards the king's car but was stopped by guards as the motorcade continued along the street lined with bystanders.

After the arrival ceremony Francis and the king were visiting an institute the monarch founded in 2015 for the training of imams and male and female preachers of Islam

Morocco, which is nearly 100 per cent Muslim, has marketed itself as an oasis of religious tolerance in a region torn by militancy. It has offered training to Muslim preachers from Africa and Europe on what it describes as moderate Islam.

Francis, making the first papal visit to Morocco in 34 years, praised the monarch for providing "sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which, in any event, constitute an offence against religion and against God himself".

The king said learning was the only way to combat religious extremism. "To tackle radicalism, the solution is neither military nor financial; that solution has but one name: education," the king said. "What all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion."</s>Visiting a country used as a launch point for Africans and others trying to reach Europe, Pope Francis took aim Saturday at the world’s hardening anti-migrant sentiments and said problems could never be solved by “raising barriers” or “fomenting fear of others.”

Morocco has a minuscule Roman Catholic population, but the North African country — separated from Spain by a mere eight-mile wide strip of water — served as a fitting stage for Francis’s emphasis on migration.

For Francis, it has become a personal priority that has gained more urgency amid shut-the-door political movements in the United States and across Europe.

Francis also used the visit to highlight Morocco as a moderate example of Islam, and made a case for Christian-Muslim cooperation just two weeks after hate-fueled mosque shootings in New Zealand that claimed 50 lives.

Francis delivered the last of his two speeches Saturday at a Catholic charity that aids migrants, and he met with several from various African nations who typified some of the region’s mass migration trends: trying to make it to Europe and waiting for their chance. The migrants at the charity included five young children, who danced for Francis in a short performance.

“Every person has the right to the future,” Francis said, at one point looking at those children.

The pontiff, entering the seventh year of his papacy, has become an outlying voice advocating that migrants be welcomed with open arms — a stance that is rare now among political leaders across the West.

But the message was particularly resonant in Morocco, which last year became the primary passageway for migrants trying to reach Europe after the European Union and the hard-line Italian government worked to close off other routes across the Mediterranean.

Moroccan officials have indicated that smuggling networks have shifted, too.

[The loudest critic of Italy’s new anti-migrant policy? The Catholic Church.]

Migration numbers to Europe are down drastically from the peak in 2015. But individual countries still feel pressure. Morocco has faced criticism from humanitarian groups for allegedly rounding up undocumented migrants and transferring them to remote parts of the country.

Spain, meantime, has faced its own dilemmas: Anti-migration sentiment is on the rise ahead of April 28 general elections. And authorities in Barcelona in January prohibited a humanitarian ship from leaving port for a migrant rescue mission in the Mediterranean.

Francis, in a recently conducted interview with a Spanish journalist, called it an “injustice” that the Open Arms boat had been prevented from operation. Other governments across Europe have taken steps of their own to curtail the work of NGO rescue vessels.

“Why do they do it?” Francis asked. “To drown them?”

Francis has repeatedly placed migration at the center of his papacy. In 2016, after a visit to the Greek island of Lesbos, he ushered 12 Syrian refugees back to Rome aboard the papal plane.

But his remarks Saturday took a broader aim, as Francis described his philosophies on migrants: how they can be exploited; how they should be encouraged to learn the local language; how migrants can only integrate with the absence of “fear and ignorance.”

“We know that it is not easy — for those who arrive and for those who receive them,” Francis said.

The 27-hour trip is Francis’s latest outreach to the Muslim world, following visits to Egypt in 2017 and the United Arab Emirates last month.

Francis described Morocco as a “natural bridge between Africa and Europe,” and he was greeted at the airport by King Mohammed VI. The two leaders took separate vehicles — the popemobile and a Mercedes limousine — to a never-completed 12th century mosque, where Francis spoke about improving “mutual understanding” between Christians and Muslims.

“It is likewise essential that fanaticism and extremism be countered by solidarity on the part of all believers,” said the pope, who later in the day visited an institute that trains imams and also offers programs for women.

In an joint declaration, Francis and King Mohammed VI made an appeal for another area that has been a hotbed of tensions, calling on Jerusalem to be preserved as a “symbol of peaceful coexistence.”

The comments echoed previous statements from the Vatican, which has long advocated for a two-state solution for Israel and Palestinian territories. But it comes after recent tensions between Jews and Muslims over a holy site in the city.

Francis and the Moroccan king described Jerusalem as a place where “mutual respect and dialogue can be cultivated” among Christians, Muslims and Jews.

“It is our hope, therefore, that in the Holy City, full freedom of access to the followers of the three monotheistic religions and their right to worship will be guaranteed,” the short declaration said.

In 2016, Francis washed the feet of Muslim migrants

How the pope is taking the lead against anti-migrant populism

Today’s coverage from Post correspondents around the world

Like Washington Post World on Facebook and stay updated on foreign news</s>(RABAT, Morocco) — Pope Francis praised Morocco as a model of religious moderation and migrant welcome as he kicked off a trip to the kingdom Saturday, warning that walls and fear-mongering won’t stop people from exercising their legitimate right to seek a better life elsewhere.

King Mohammed VI welcomed Francis as he arrived during an unusual rainstorm and began a 27-hour visit aimed at boosting Christian-Muslim ties and showing solidarity with Morocco’s ever-growing migrant community.

Morocco last year became the main destination for sub-Saharan African migrants seeking to reach Europe via Spain. The influx has strained the kingdom’s resources and fueled anti-migrant sentiment in Spain ahead of its April 28 general election.

After an airport greeting, the two leaders then took separate vehicles — Francis in his popemobile and the king in a convertible Mercedes — and paraded in tandem into town for a formal welcome ceremony at the complex where two of Morocco’s past monarchs are buried. Women ululated as Francis and the king walked along the promenade of the Hassan Tower complex under umbrellas.

Francis told the king that he hoped Morocco would continue to be a model of humanity, welcome and protection for migrants.

“The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families,” Francis said.

Rather, he called for a change of attitude toward migrants that respects them as people, worthy of dignity and rights, and not just statistics. He said world leaders must address the economic imbalances and unrest on Earth that fuel conflicts and migration flows.

“Today’s grave migration crisis represents an urgent summons for concrete actions aimed at eliminating the causes that force many people to leave country and family behind, often only to find themselves marginalized and rejected,” he said.

It’s a message that Francis is expected to repeat later in the day when he meets migrants at a center run by the Catholic Church’s Caritas charity. Francis has made the plight of refugees a hallmark of his papacy, and has used many of his foreign visits to insist on the need to welcome them, protect them and integrate them into society.

Spain became the leading migrant entry route into Europe last year with over 57,000 unauthorized arrivals, according to the European Union. Morocco became the main departure point for migrants in smugglers’ unseaworthy boats after Italy essentially closed its borders to migrants leaving Libya.

Around 2,300 people died crossing the Mediterranean Sea last year and over 300 have already died this year on the dangerous journey, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Francis opened his remarks to the king by praising Morocco’s tradition of interfaith coexistence and its efforts to promote a moderate form of Islam.

Morocco, a Sunni Muslim kingdom of 36 million, reformed its religious policies and education to limit the spread of fundamentalism in 2004, following terrorist bombings in Casablanca in 2003 that killed 43 people.

Key to that effort has been the Mohammed VI Institute, a school of learning for imams that teaches a moderate Islam and exports it via preachers to Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Francis was visiting the institute later Saturday.

Francis praised the school, saying it “seeks to provide effective and sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which in any event, constitute an offense against religion and against God himself.”

The king said education was the key to fighting radicalism — not military crackdowns.

“What all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion,” he said.

The trip follows Francis’ February visit to the United Arab Emirates, where the pope and the imam of Cairo’s Al Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning, signed a landmark joint statement establishing the relationship between Catholics and Muslims as brothers, with a common mission to promote peace.

The “Human Fraternity” document outlines a shared set of values and principles common to Christians and Muslims, focusing on the dignity of every person and a rejection of violence committed in God’s name.

Muslims, Christians and Jews have long lived peacefully in Morocco, even though Catholics are a tiny minority of about 23,000.

Francis will minister to them on Sunday when he celebrates Mass in Rabat’s sports stadium, before returning to Rome.</s>(RABAT, Morocco) — Pope Francis praised Morocco as a model of religious moderation and migrant welcome as he kicked off a trip to the kingdom Saturday, warning that walls and fear-mongering won’t stop people from exercising their legitimate right to seek a better life elsewhere.

King Mohammed VI welcomed Francis as he arrived during an unusual rainstorm and began a 27-hour visit aimed at boosting Christian-Muslim ties and showing solidarity with Morocco’s ever-growing migrant community.

Morocco last year became the main destination for sub-Saharan African migrants seeking to reach Europe via Spain. The influx has strained the kingdom’s resources and fueled anti-migrant sentiment in Spain ahead of its April 28 general election.

After an airport greeting, the two leaders then took separate vehicles — Francis in his popemobile and the king in a convertible Mercedes — and paraded in tandem into town for a formal welcome ceremony at the complex where two of Morocco’s past monarchs are buried. Women ululated as Francis and the king walked along the promenade of the Hassan Tower complex under umbrellas.

Francis told the king that he hoped Morocco would continue to be a model of humanity, welcome and protection for migrants.

“The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families,” Francis said.

Rather, he called for a change of attitude toward migrants that respects them as people, worthy of dignity and rights, and not just statistics. He said world leaders must address the economic imbalances and unrest on Earth that fuel conflicts and migration flows.

“Today’s grave migration crisis represents an urgent summons for concrete actions aimed at eliminating the causes that force many people to leave country and family behind, often only to find themselves marginalized and rejected,” he said.

It’s a message that Francis is expected to repeat later in the day when he meets migrants at a center run by the Catholic Church’s Caritas charity. Francis has made the plight of refugees a hallmark of his papacy, and has used many of his foreign visits to insist on the need to welcome them, protect them and integrate them into society.

Spain became the leading migrant entry route into Europe last year with over 57,000 unauthorized arrivals, according to the European Union. Morocco became the main departure point for migrants in smugglers’ unseaworthy boats after Italy essentially closed its borders to migrants leaving Libya.

Around 2,300 people died crossing the Mediterranean Sea last year and over 300 have already died this year on the dangerous journey, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Francis opened his remarks to the king by praising Morocco’s tradition of interfaith coexistence and its efforts to promote a moderate form of Islam.

Morocco, a Sunni Muslim kingdom of 36 million, reformed its religious policies and education to limit the spread of fundamentalism in 2004, following terrorist bombings in Casablanca in 2003 that killed 43 people.

Key to that effort has been the Mohammed VI Institute, a school of learning for imams that teaches a moderate Islam and exports it via preachers to Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Francis was visiting the institute later Saturday.

Francis praised the school, saying it “seeks to provide effective and sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which in any event, constitute an offense against religion and against God himself.”

The king said education was the key to fighting radicalism — not military crackdowns.

“What all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion,” he said.

The trip follows Francis’ February visit to the United Arab Emirates, where the pope and the imam of Cairo’s Al Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning, signed a landmark joint statement establishing the relationship between Catholics and Muslims as brothers, with a common mission to promote peace.

The “Human Fraternity” document outlines a shared set of values and principles common to Christians and Muslims, focusing on the dignity of every person and a rejection of violence committed in God’s name.

Muslims, Christians and Jews have long lived peacefully in Morocco, even though Catholics are a tiny minority of about 23,000.

Francis will minister to them on Sunday when he celebrates Mass in Rabat’s sports stadium, before returning to Rome.</s>RABAT (Reuters) - Pope Francis said on Saturday the plight of migrants was “a wound that cries out to heaven” and could never be healed by physical barriers.

Francis, starting a two-day visit to Morocco, also backed Moroccan King Mohammed VI’s efforts to spread a form of Islam that promotes inter-religious dialogue and rejects violence in God’s name.

In recent months, migration has again risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of North African and European countries and the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump has promised to fulfill his campaign pledge to build a wall along the border with Mexico and on Friday threatened to close the border next week if Mexico did not stop immigrants reaching the United States.

“The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families,” Francis said at the welcoming ceremony.

“We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity,” he said.

Morocco has become a key departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe after crackdowns that closed or limited routes elsewhere. Italy’s anti-immigrant interior minister has closed ports to rescue ships run by charity groups.

Francis, who has made defense of migrants and refugees a key part of his preaching, said he was concerned about their “frequently grim fate” and receiving countries must acknowledge that migrants were forced to leave their homes because of poverty and political upheaval.

From the airport to the city center, Francis, 82, was driven in a white popemobile on a drizzly day as the 55-year-old king rode beside him standing up in a separate vehicle, a vintage black 1969 open-top Mercedes 600 Pullman.

In the afternoon, the pope spoke again of migration during a visit to a Church-run shelter. He called migration “a great and deep wound that continues to afflict our world at the beginning of this 21st century. A wound that cries out to heaven.”

He said migrants and refugees had rights and dignity “independent of their legal status” and that host communities should reject “all forms of discrimination and xenophobia”.

Francis and the king visited an institute the monarch founded to train imams and male and female preachers of Islam.

Slideshow (22 Images)

Morocco, which is almost entirely Muslim, has promoted itself as an oasis of religious tolerance in a region torn by militancy. It has offered training to Muslim preachers from Africa and Europe on what it describes as moderate Islam.

Francis, making the first papal visit to Morocco in 34 years, praised the monarch for providing “sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which, in any event, constitute an offense against religion and against God himself”.</s>Pope Francis has slammed Donald Trump's plan to build a wall on the Mexican border, saying migration will 'never be resolved by raising barriers'.

The 82-year-old made the comments as he arrived for the start of a two-day visit to Morocco today, aimed at showing solidarity with Morocco's growing migrant community.

At a welcome ceremony in the capital of Rabat today, the Pope said that a wall would only stir up 'fear' and deny help to those who genuinely need it.

'The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families,' he said.

It comes as US President Donald Trump vows to fulfil his campaign pledge to build a wall along the border with Mexico.

And on Friday threatened to close the border next week if Mexico did not stop immigrants reaching the United States.

The Pope continued: 'We know too that the consolidation of true peace comes through the pursuit of social justice, which is indispensable for correcting the economic imbalances and political unrest that have always had a major role in generating conflicts and threatening the whole of humanity.'

Francis was joined at the welcome ceremony by Moroccan King Mohammed VI, who has been working to spread a moderate form of Islam that promotes inter-religious dialogue and rejects any form of terrorism or violence in God's name.

In recent months, migration has again risen to the fore of national political debates in a number of North African and European countries and the United States.

Morocco has become a key departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe after crackdowns that closed or limited routes elsewhere. Italy's anti-immigrant interior minister has closed ports to rescue ships run by charity groups.

Francis, who has made defence of migrants and refugees a key part of his preaching, said he was concerned about their 'frequently grim fate' and receiving countries must acknowledge that migrants are forced to leave their homes because of poverty and political upheaval.

From the airport to the city centre, Francis, 82, was driven in a white popemobile on a drizzly day as the 55-year-old king rode beside him standing in a separate vehicle, a vintage black 1969 open-top Mercedes 600 Pullman.

At one point, a man rushed towards the king's car but was stopped and detained by guards as the motorcade continued along the street lined with bystanders. Police said he was a 17-year-old Moroccan who wanted to seek help from the king for his sick parents.

After the arrival ceremony Francis and the king visited an institute the monarch founded in 2015 for the training of imams and male and female preachers of Islam.

Morocco, which is nearly 100 percent Muslim, has marketed itself as an oasis of religious tolerance in a region torn by militancy. It has offered training to Muslim preachers from Africa and Europe on what it describes as moderate Islam.

Francis, making the first papal visit to Morocco in 34 years, praised the monarch for providing 'sound training to combat all forms of extremism, which so often lead to violence and terrorism, and which, in any event, constitute an offence against religion and against God himself'.

The king said learning was the only way to combat religious extremism. 'To tackle radicalism, the solution is neither military no financial; that solution has but one name: education,' the king said. 'What all terrorists have in common is not religion, but rather ignorance of religion.'
Pope Francis says the plight of migrants was "a wound that cries out to heaven". He added, "The issue of migration will never be resolved by raising barriers, fomenting fear of others or denying assistance to those who legitimately aspire to a better life for themselves and their families".