On a historic Thursday visit to one of Cameroon’s most violence-scarred regions, Pope Leo XIV delivered a stark rebuke of the nearly decade-long separatist conflict that has left the area bloodied and destabilized, calling out the self-serving greed that perpetuates cycles of death. Speaking in Bamenda, the northwestern city that sits at the heart of the anglophone insurgency, the pontiff laid bare the damaging economics fueling the unrest: those who siphon natural resources from local communities funnel much of their illicit profits into weapons, extending the years-long emergency for their own gain.
Traveling under heavy military protection in a bulletproof-winded vehicle, the U.S.-born pontiff arrived at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral, where he paused to bless throngs of joyful worshippers and supporters who had gathered to welcome his landmark visit. Crowds dressed in traditional clothing emblazoned with the pope’s image waved both Vatican and Cameroonian flags, filling the streets with singing, horn blasts and festive music despite the shadow of insecurity hanging over the region.
The conflict that has ravaged Cameroon’s two anglophone regions dates back to 2016, when peaceful protests by anglophone communities complaining of systemic political and social marginalization under the long-ruling government of President Paul Biya—who has held power in the central African nation since 1982—were met with violent government crackdowns. That escalation pushed separatist movements to launch an armed campaign for secession from the majority French-speaking country. Over eight years of fighting, the United Nations estimates at least 6,000 people have been killed, and civilians have borne the brunt of the violence, targeted in widespread killings and mass kidnappings.
This visit marks the second stop of Pope Leo XIV’s high-profile tour of the African continent, following his arrival in the country on Wednesday. In his solemn peace address, the pope also condemned actors who exploit religion and invoke the name of God to advance their own military, economic and political ambitions, a sharp rebuke of radicalization in the conflict.
In response to the pontiff’s visit, imprisoned separatist leaders have issued a call for negotiations mediated by the Vatican, with support from the United Nations, to address the deep-rooted causes of the conflict. Their lawyer, Joseph Awah Fru, delivered the request on the prisoners’ behalf, opening a potential path to dialogue following the pope’s high-profile intervention.