Pope begins Morocco visit to boost dialogue, meet migrants

Pope Francis arrived in Morocco on Saturday for a visit which will see him meet Muslim leaders and migrants ahead of a mass with the country's minority Catholic community.

The spiritual leader of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics was invited by King Mohammed VI as part of a mission on the "development of interreligious dialogue", according to Moroccan authorities.

Improving relations with other religions has been a priority for the Argentine pontiff, whose papacy has been marred by a wave of child sex abuse allegations against clergy.

The pope's plane landed in the capital Rabat shortly before 2 pm (1300 GMT) and he was greeted by the king who is known as the "commander of the faithful" in Morocco, where 99 percent of the population is Muslim.

The Moroccan capital has stepped up security ahead of the first papal visit to the North African country since John Paul II in 1985.

Buildings have been repainted, streets decorated and lawns manicured for the pope's two-day visit. Francis was to be presented on arrival with dates and almond milk, before stepping into the popemobile and the monarch into a limousine.

(AFP)