Pope Leo XIV has arrived in Cameroon, opening the country’s leg of his first Apostolic journey to Africa with a strong appeal for peace, justice and renewed national purpose. The Pontiff touched down to an official welcome led by Prime Minister Joseph Dion Ngute before proceeding to the Presidency for a high-level meeting with President Paul Biya and members of the diplomatic corps.
In his address at the presidency, Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his visit, framing Cameroon’s diversity as both a strength and a responsibility.
“This diversity is not a weakness, but a treasure. It is a promise of fraternity and a solid foundation for building lasting peace,” he said.
Positioning himself as “a pastor and servant of dialogue, fraternity, and peace,” the Pope spoke directly to a nation grappling with deep internal strains. He acknowledged a growing sense of fatigue and disillusionment, noting that “resignation is spreading and a feeling of powerlessness tends to paralyze the renewal that people deeply feel,” while pointing to a widespread demand for justice, participation and courageous leadership.
The Pontiff’s remarks took a more pointed turn as he addressed the ongoing crises affecting the North West, South West and Far North regions. He described the human cost in stark terms, saying the violence has left “lives lost, families displaced, children deprived of schooling, young people who see no future,” insisting that behind the figures are “faces, stories, and shattered hopes.”
In one of the defining lines of his address, Pope Leo XIV called for a fundamental shift in how peace is pursued.
“A disarmed peace, that is, one not based on fear, threats, or armaments; and disarming, because it is capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts, and fostering trust, empathy, and hope.”
He stressed that peace must move beyond rhetoric, warning that “peace cannot be reduced to a slogan: it must be embodied in a personal and institutional approach that rejects all forms of violence.”
Referencing global instability, he added with urgency, “The world thirsts for peace… Enough of wars, with their painful trail of death, destruction, and exile.”
The Pope placed significant responsibility on political leadership, reminding authorities that governance must be rooted in service. Drawing from Saint Augustine, he underlined that leadership is not about domination but duty, insisting that serving the nation requires commitment “to the common good of all the people: the majority and the minorities, in their mutual harmony.”
He further challenged state actors to rethink engagement with citizens, calling for genuine inclusion and warning against policies imposed without the participation of those affected. Civil society, he said, must be recognised as “a vital force for cohesion of peace.”
The visit also carries diplomatic weight, with the Pontiff reaffirming the Holy See’s commitment to strengthening ties with Cameroon, grounded in “mutual respect, the dignity of every human person, and religious freedom.”
Pope Leo XIV’s arrival comes as part of a 10-day African tour that began in Algeria and will continue to Angola and Equatorial Guinea. In Cameroon, attention now shifts to his engagements in Yaoundé, Douala and Bamenda, where expectations are high that his message will resonate most strongly in regions scarred by years of conflict.
His opening address makes clear that beyond ceremony, the visit is intended as a moral intervention, one that challenges both leaders and citizens to confront the realities of division and to take ownership of the path to peace.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Web
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