Pope Leo heads to Cameroon for second stop of Africa trip

Pope Leo XIV is set to arrive in Cameroon on Wednesday as part of his ongoing Africa tour, with a focus on peace and governance discussions.

The pope will meet President Paul Biya in the capital, Yaounde, before addressing government officials, diplomats and civil society representatives.

The visit comes amid ongoing conflict in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions, where separatist violence has resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread displacement since 2017.

A key event of the visit will be a peace gathering in Bamenda, a city at the centre of the crisis. Separatist groups have announced a temporary pause in fighting to allow safe movement during the pope’s visit.

The Vatican said themes of the visit will include peace, anti-corruption efforts and the use of political authority.

Pope Leo is also expected to visit a Catholic-run orphanage and preside over a Mass in Douala, where large crowds are anticipated.

Cameroon is the second stop in the pope’s four-nation Africa tour, following an earlier visit to Algeria.

He is expected to travel to Angola before concluding the trip in Equatorial Guinea.

SOURCE: AP