Pope Leo heads to Cameroon as part of 10-day African tour

Pope Leo departed for Cameroon on April 15 as part of a 10-day African tour spanning four countries, where he is expected to call for peace in the country’s long-running conflict in its English-speaking regions.

The pontiff, who arrived from Algeria, is scheduled to land in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, at around 3:20 p.m. (1420 GMT). He is expected to meet President Paul Biya and deliver an address to national leaders, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

During his visit to Algeria, Pope Leo criticised what he described as violations of international law by “neocolonial” world powers, reinforcing his broader diplomatic message ahead of the next leg of his tour.

Ahead of the pope’s arrival, a separatist alliance announced a three-day “safe travel passage” to allow civilians and visitors to move freely during the visit.

The visit comes amid political tensions involving Pope Leo and U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump criticised the pontiff on social media, calling him “terrible” over his opposition to the Iran war, and repeated his criticism despite backlash from some U.S. Christians.

Pope Leo told Reuters on April 13 that he would continue speaking out against the war regardless of political pressure or criticism.

By Sabina Mammadli