Upon arriving in Cameroon on April 15, 2026, Pope Leo XIV delivered a hard-hitting first speech, urging the country's leaders to ensure “transparency in the management of public resources and respect for the rule of law.” Speaking before an audience of civil authorities, the Pope explicitly denounced “corruption and abuses of power.” He also pleaded for the guarantee of human rights in security policies.
On Wednesday, the first day of his visit to Cameroon — the second stop of his international African tour — Pope Leo XIV headed to the presidential palace. There, he met privately with President Paul Biya, who at 93 has led the country since 1982. The Pope then met with representatives of the authorities, civil society, and the diplomatic corps. He introduced himself to them as a "shepherd and as a servant of dialogue, fraternity, and peace."
In his welcome address, President Biya hailed the Pope’s visit as a message of hope. An hour earlier, a large, enthusiastic crowd had lined the roads to welcome the head of the Catholic Church as his car left the airport.
A lesson in governance
Addressing the leaders of this Central African state, the 267th pope delivered a lesson in governance. He stated that serving one's country means dedicating oneself, "with a clear mind and an upright conscience, to the common good of all the people," encompassing both the majority and minorities. He straightforwardly told them that it’s “time to examine our conscience and take a bold leap forward" so that "just and credible institutions become pillars of stability."
The Successor of Peter outlined a virtuous roadmap for these politicians, preaching "transparency in the management of public resources and respect for the rule of law." He called on them to break “the chains of corruption” that “disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility.” He also urged them to free their hearts from the "idolatrous thirst for profit.” Highlighting the responsibility tied to his audience's "high offices," he encouraged them to act with “integrity and upright conduct.”
The head of the Catholic Church noted that leaders must collaborate with the "various agencies and administrative levels of the State in the service of the people, and especially of the poor."
"To govern means truly listening to citizens" and "valuing their intelligence," he hammered home, asking them to aim for "integral human development."
Love for neighboring countries
Speaking in a land torn by ethnic and religious tensions — linked to an Islamist terrorist presence — the Pope also emphasized the responsibility of civil authorities to maintain peace.
"Enough of war," he exclaimed, lamenting “all the pain it causes," especially to the populations in the northwest, southwest, and far north of the country. In his text, he also denounced the "poison of fundamentalism" and "extremism."
"To govern means to love one’s own country as well as neighboring countries," he pointed out, as regional conflicts, particularly in Chad and South Sudan, threaten to create new fronts of war. He added, "The commandment 'love your neighbor as yourself' is equally applicable to international relations."
Pope Leo XIV also warned that security must "always be exercised with respect for human rights," with "rigor and magnanimity," and without forgetting "the most vulnerable." During the last presidential election, which resulted in Paul Biya's reelection, several bishops spoke out to denounce the crackdowns that followed the announcement of the results.
In this "patient and collective" work for peace, the pontiff paid tribute to the "unparalleled" role of women and denounced the "prejudices and violence" they face, triggering a round of applause. He highlighted their commitment to "education, mediation, and the rebuilding of the social fabric" that “to curb corruption and abuses of power." With this in mind, he urged leaders to integrate women's voices into decision-making processes.
Curb the outflow of youth
During his speech, Pope Leo XIV expressed concern for "children deprived of schooling" and the scourges plaguing young people: unemployment, exclusion, drugs, and prostitution. To "curb the outflow of wonderful talent to other parts of the world," he recommended investing "in the education, training and entrepreneurship of young people." According to the polling network Afrobarometer, younger generations of Cameroonians largely aspire to emigrate, primarily for economic reasons.
"It is my great desire to reach the hearts of all, especially young people, who are called to help shape a world that is more just, including in the political sphere," the Successor of Peter noted at the start of his three-day visit.
Thirty-one years after Pope John Paul II's last visit and 17 years after Pope Benedict XVI's, their Successor asked Cameroon this question: "Where are we now? [...] And what remains to be done?"
He concluded by assuring them that the country "possesses the human, cultural and spiritual resources necessary to overcome trials and conflicts and move toward a future of stability and shared prosperity."
