The Sovereign Pontiff, in his speech delivered at the Palace of Unity before the constituted bodies and civil society, outlined a series of measures aimed at building authentic peace in a country shaken by multiple crises.
Coming to Cameroon as a pastor, a servant of dialogue, fraternity, and peace, Pope Leo XIV delivered a peace speech to the Cameroonian authorities and civil society gathered at the Palace of Unity. The successor of Peter visits Cameroon, a country going through complicated trials such as violence affecting the Northwest, Southwest, and Far North regions, causing suffering. The pope includes “lost lives, displaced families, children deprived of schooling, young people who see no future.”
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Faced with this situation, the head of the Catholic Church reiterates the first measure to adopt to stop the bleeding. It is indeed to “reject the logic of violence and war to embrace a peace founded on love and justice. A disarmed peace, that is, one not based on fear, threat, or armaments; and disarming, because capable of resolving conflicts, opening hearts, and fostering trust, empathy, and hope.”
For Leo XIV, peace is the responsibility of all, first of all the civil authorities called to love their country and neighboring countries; to listen to citizens, value their intelligence, their capacity to participate in developing sustainable solutions to problems. These same authorities are called to manage public resources transparently, break the chains of corruption, free the heart from the thirst for gain which is an idolatry to achieve integral human development; to respect the rule of law to restore trust.
To this end, the highest authority of the Catholic Church indicates that “public authority must be a bridge, never an actor of division.” And that security is a priority but must be exercised with respect for human rights. In the same perspective to prevent violence, the pope recommends investing in education, training, and entrepreneurship in favor of young people.
Peace is also the responsibility of civil society, an irreplaceable link in building social peace. “They are the first to intervene when tensions arise; they accompany displaced persons, support victims, open spaces for dialogue, and encourage local mediation,” declares the pope while praising the mediation and educational role women play in this construction. They are the ones authorities are called to integrate more into decision-making processes.
Thus, Cameroon can solve its problems by relying on its human resources and cultural wealth. To do this, “the common commitment to dialogue, justice, and integral development must transform the wounds of the past into a source of renewal,” recommends the man of God.
Arriving in Yaoundé on the afternoon of April 15, 2026, Pope Leo XIV was welcomed at Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport by Prime Minister Head of Government Joseph Dion Ngute. He then joined the Head of State Paul Biya at the Palace of Unity before meeting civil society on site. The pope ended the day’s tour at the Ngul Zamba orphanage before returning to the Apostolic Nunciature. He will travel this Thursday to Bamenda, the regional capital of the Northwest.
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