Vatican — After serving as the relator general of the just concluded second Africa Synod, Cardinal Peter Kodwo Turkson, Archbishop of Cape Coast, Ghana has been appointed by Pope Benedict XVI as President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

While accepting the appointment last Saturday, The 61 year old Cardinal thanked the pope for having offered him the opportunity to serve the Church in this capacity.

With this appointment Cardinal Turkson will have to move to the Vatican. He succeeds Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, who goes on retirement.

The new President of the Justice and Peace Council was born on October 11, 1948 in Ghana. He was ordained a priest on July 20, 1975.

In 1992 he was appointed Archbishop of Cape Coast. The late Pope John Paul II made him a Cardinal on October 21, 2003 and he took part in the April 2005 Conclave that saw the election of the present Pope- Benedict XVI.

The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace promotes justice and peace in the world in accordance with the Gospel and the social teaching of the Catholic Church.