POPE Francis has called for peace in a world marked by war and conflict, “beginning with the beloved and long-suffering land of Syria” and extending to the entire Middle East, the Korean peninsula and parts of Africa affected by “hunger, endemic conflicts and terrorism”.

In his formal Easter message at St Peter’s Basilica, Francis said the message of the resurrection offers hope in a world “marked by so many acts of injustice and violence”.

“It bears fruits of hope and dignity where there are deprivation and exclusion, hunger and unemployment; where there are migrants and refugees, so often rejected by today’s culture of waste, and victims of the drug trade, human trafficking and slavery,” he said.

He called for a “swift end” to carnage in Syria, urged reconciliation in Israel and hoped that mutual respect would “prevail over divisions” in Yemen and the entire Middle East.

Turning to Asia, Francis hoped that talks under way could bring peace to the Korean peninsula, urging “those who are directly responsible act with wisdom and discernment to promote the good of the Korean people”.

Francis also called for peace in Ukraine, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and urged the world not to forget victims of conflict, especially children.