The head of the Catholic Church, Pope Leo XIV, has commenced a 10-day pastoral visit to Africa, with a call on global leaders to pay greater attention to the continent’s development and humanitarian needs.
The tour, which began on Monday, will take the pontiff across four countries, starting with Algeria a predominantly Muslim nation in what is seen as a significant interfaith engagement.
During the trip, Pope Leo is expected to visit several cities across Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, covering thousands of kilometres and delivering multiple addresses focused on peace, governance and social justice.
A senior Vatican official, Cardinal Michael Czerny, said the visit aims to spotlight Africa’s importance in global affairs, noting that the continent is home to a significant portion of the world’s Catholic population.
The pope is also expected to address issues such as religious dialogue, resource exploitation and governance challenges during his engagements with political and religious leaders.
However, the tour coincides with a fresh exchange of criticism between the pontiff and the United States President, Donald Trump, who accused him of weak leadership and criticised his stance on international conflicts.
Trump, in a social media post, faulted the pope’s views on foreign policy, particularly his opposition to ongoing military actions involving the United States and its allies.
The remarks followed recent statements by Pope Leo condemning global conflicts and describing war as destructive and avoidable.
Responding to the criticism, the pontiff declined to engage in a direct confrontation, reiterating his commitment to advocating peace and dialogue among nations.
“I will continue to speak out against war and promote peaceful solutions to global conflicts,” he said while en route to Algiers.
The pope has consistently called for restraint among world leaders, warning against the consequences of prolonged conflicts and the suffering of civilians.
His itinerary includes meetings with government officials, religious leaders and large public gatherings, including a major Mass expected to attract hundreds of thousands of worshippers in Cameroon.
The visit marks one of the most extensive foreign trips of his papacy so far and underscores the Vatican’s focus on Africa as a key region for the future of the Catholic Church.
The exchange between Pope Leo and Trump also echoes past tensions between the US president and the late Pope Francis, who had similarly criticised some of Trump’s policies during his time in office.
