Pope calls on Cameroon to embrace peace, break chains of corruption
April 15, 2026
Following a flight of over five hours from Algeria, Pope Leo XIV arrived today in Cameroon (map), the second of four nations he is visiting on his apostolic journey to Africa.
After a welcome ceremony (video) at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport, Pope Leo traveled to the presidential palace, where he met with President Paul Biya. The 93-year-old president was head of state when St. John Paul II visited Cameroon in 1985, and when Pope Benedict XVI visited Cameroon in 2009.
The Pontiff then addressed political authorities, leaders of civil society, and members of the diplomatic corps (video).
“I come among you as a shepherd and as a servant of dialogue, fraternity and peace,” Pope Leo said. “My visit is an expression of the affection of the Successor of Peter for all Cameroonians, as well as of the desire to encourage each of you to keep moving forward with enthusiasm and perseverance in building the common good.”
“We are living, in fact, at a time when hopelessness is rampant and a sense of powerlessness tends to paralyze the renewal so deeply desired by peoples,” the Pope continued. “There is such a hunger and thirst for justice! A thirst for getting involved, for a vision, for courageous choices and for peace! 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.”
Quoting St. Augustine’s The City of God, Pope Leo called on political leaders to seek the common good:
Sixteen hundred years ago, Saint Augustine wrote words that have great relevance today: “Those who rule serve those whom they seem to command; for they rule not from a love of power, but from a sense of the duty they owe to others—not because they are proud of authority, but because they love mercy.” From this perspective, serving one’s country means dedicating oneself, with a clear mind and an upright conscience, to the common good of all people in the nation. This includes dedication to both the majority of the population and the minorities, as well as their mutual harmony.
Alluding to the Anglophone Crisis—an armed conflict that began in 2017—Pope Leo said that “the tensions and violence that have afflicted certain regions of the Northwest, Southwest and Far North have caused profound suffering: lives have been lost, families displaced, children deprived of schooling and young people no longer see a future.”
“Peace, in fact, cannot be decreed: it must be embraced and lived,” he added. “It is a gift from God, which unfolds through patient and collective effort. It is everyone’s responsibility, beginning with civil authorities. To govern means to love one’s own country as well as neighboring countries; the commandment ‘love your neighbor as yourself’ is equally applicable to international relations! To govern means truly listening to citizens, valuing their intelligence and their ability to help build lasting solutions to problems.”
The Pontiff also called for the chains of corruption to be broken in a nation with a reputation for pervasive corruption:
Transparency in the management of public resources and respect for the rule of law are essential to restoring trust,” Pope Leo said. “It is time to examine our conscience and take a bold leap forward ...
Brothers and sisters, on closer reflection, the high offices you hold demand a twofold witness. The first is achieved through the collaboration of the various agencies and administrative levels of the State in the service of the people, and especially of the poor. The second is accomplished by carrying out your institutional and professional responsibilities with integrity and upright conduct. Indeed, in order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption—which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility—must be broken. Hearts must be set free from an idolatrous thirst for profit: true profit comes from integral human development, that is, the balanced growth of all the aspects that make life on this earth a blessing.
“May God bless Cameroon, assist its leaders, guide civil society, enlighten the work of the Diplomatic Corps and grant the entire Cameroonian people—Christians and non-Christians, political leaders and citizens—the grace to welcome the Kingdom of God and so build together a future of justice and peace,” the Pope concluded.
CWN coverage of Pope Leo’s apostolic journey to Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea:
Day 1 (April 13)
- Pope departs for Africa
- Pope Leo: ‘I have no fear of the Trump administration’
- I am ‘very happy’ to visit the land of St. Augustine, Pope says on flight to Algeria
- ‘The future belongs to men and women of peace,’ Pope says in first Algerian address
- Pope calls on Algeria’s leaders to promote ‘vibrant, dynamic, and free civil society’
- Pope visits Great Mosque of Algiers, recalls St. Augustine’s search for truth
- Pope emphasizes prayer, charity, unity in address to Algerian Catholics
Day 2 (April 14)
Day 3 (April 15)
- Pope bids farewell to Algeria, departs for Cameroon
- Pope, in remarks to journalists, highlights importance, relevance of St. Augustine
- Pope calls on Cameroon to embrace peace, break chains of corruption
- ‘Jesus cares especially for children like you,’ Pope tells orphans in Cameroon
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