Pope Leo XIV is traveling to Cameroon with a peace mission as the central African nation grapples with separatist violence and political tensions under 93-year-old President Paul Biya, who recently secured his eighth term in an election widely questioned by critics.
Vatican officials indicate that addressing corruption in the resource-rich nation and emphasizing proper use of political power will be central themes during Leo’s visit, which begins Wednesday when he arrives in the capital city of Yaounde. The pope is coming from Algeria, the opening stop of his four-country African tour.
Church leadership has clearly stated that Catholic social doctrine opposes the kind of authoritarian governance Leo is witnessing during this historic trip – the first African visit by the church’s first American pontiff.
Biya, who has governed the central African country since 1982, holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest sitting leader.
Upon landing in Yaounde, Leo will have an audience with Biya at the presidential palace. His schedule includes speaking to government officials, civil servants and diplomatic representatives, followed by a visit to a Catholic-run orphanage operated by nuns.
Opposition parties in Cameroon have challenged the October 12 election results that gave Biya another victory. His main challenger, Issa Tchiroma Bakary, maintains he actually won and has urged citizens to reject the official outcome.
Earlier this week, Leo released a separate statement about the proper responsibilities of political leaders and the importance of “authentic democracy” to validate their power and serve as a “guardrail against the abuse of power.”
In his message to a Vatican social science academy, Leo emphasized that democratic systems stay healthy only when guided by moral principles and a humanitarian outlook that honors everyone’s dignity.
“Lacking this foundation, it risks becoming either a majoritarian tyranny or a mask for the dominance of economic and technological elites,” he cautioned in the April 1 message, which wasn’t aimed at any specific country or official.
Leo has scheduled two significant events during his Cameroon visit, with the centerpiece being a “peace meeting” Thursday in Bamenda, a northwestern city affected by separatist conflict.
Anglophone separatists began their uprising in 2017, seeking to break away from Cameroon’s French-speaking majority and create an independent English-speaking nation. The International Crisis Group reports that this conflict has claimed over 6,000 lives and forced more than 600,000 people from their homes.
Before Leo’s arrival, the English-speaking rebels declared a three-day suspension of hostilities to ensure “safe travel” during the papal visit.
The Unity Alliance, representing multiple separatist organizations, announced Monday evening that the pause recognizes the “profound spiritual importance” of the visit and aims to protect civilians, pilgrims and officials traveling in the area.
Leo’s second major Cameroon event will be a Mass Friday in Douala, where organizers expect approximately 600,000 attendees. Catholics make up about 29% of Cameroon’s population.
The pope will continue to Angola on Saturday for his trip’s third segment, concluding next week in Equatorial Guinea.
