"It is time for some of our leadership in the Catholic Church to take a stronger stand with the Cuban government and demand more."

The pope "entrusts to God's mercy those who died and, in prayer, he shares the pain of their loved ones," the message said.

"In this time of tragedy, this black moment for our country, I appeal to everyone to remain calm but also to show solidarity."

"I owe my life to her. Her touch was magical, and I live till today only because of that saintly magic."

Linked to extreme El Nino weather conditions, the drought has hit countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, Malawi and Zimbabwe.

"Because a lot of our people aren't documented, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. They weren't giving people water because they didn't have driver's licenses."