Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi said Tuesday her government was striving to protect the rights of "all" its people in a speech delivered alongside Pope Francis, whose visit has turned a spotlight on the plight of the persecuted Muslim Rohingya.

She said her government aimed to build peace by "protecting rights, fostering tolerance, ensuring security for all" in a speech delivered with the pope sharing a stage with her.

Suu Kyi did not mention the Rohingya by name but noted that the crisis in Rakhine was among "many challenges that our government has been facing".