Pope Leo, during his visit to Cameroon, issued unusually forceful criticism of leaders who allocate billions of dollars to wars, stating that the world is "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants." He blasted those who manipulate "the very name of God" for personal gain. These remarks come just days after a high-profile spat with US President Donald Trump, who posted a lengthy attack on the Pope—a vocal critic of the US and Israeli military operations in Iran. Pope Leo had previously expressed concern over Trump's threat that "a whole civilisation will die" if Iran did not comply with US demands.

Speaking in the northwestern city of Bamenda, Cameroon—a region gripped by a deadly insurgency for nearly a decade—Pope Leo condemned the prioritization of military spending over essential needs. He said, "The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild." The Pope further criticized the exploitation of local resources, noting that "those who rob your land of its resources generally invest much of the profit in weapons, thus perpetuating an endless cycle of destabilisation and death" in what he described as a "bloodstained" area.

Pope Leo's Africa tour includes stops in 11 cities across four countries, marking his second major foreign visit since being elected to the papacy last year. This reflects the growing significance of Catholicism in Africa, where more than a fifth of the world's Catholics—approximately 288 million people—reside, according to 2024 figures. The visit aims to draw attention to regional conflicts and social issues, underscoring the Pope's focus on peace and humanitarian concerns amid ongoing geopolitical tensions.

Source: www.bbc.com