Pope Leo XIV’s 11-day journey through Africa
The pope visited Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea, including Bamenda in Cameroon’s Anglophone region.
Key points
- Pope Leo XIV spent 11 days in Africa from 13 to 23 April 2026, visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
- In Cameroon, from 15 to 18 April, he met President Paul Biya and visited Bamenda, at the centre of the Anglophone crisis, and Douala.
- The trip covered about 18,000 kilometres and 18 flights.
Pope Leo XIV made a long journey to Africa in April 2026, spending 11 days on the continent, from 13 to 23 April, and visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea.
Cameroon
The pope was in Cameroon from 15 to 18 April. His first stop was the presidential palace in Yaoundé, where he met President Paul Biya privately before addressing the authorities, civil society and diplomats.
He also travelled to Bamenda, at the centre of Cameroon's Anglophone crisis, a conflict that has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, and to Douala, the country's economic capital. His presence in Bamenda was seen as a call for peace and reconciliation.
A marathon trip
The journey covered about 18,000 kilometres and involved 18 flights, two of them by helicopter. The pope later said the trip had highlighted local injustices as well as the joy of Christian faith on the continent.
Why it matters
Africa is where the Catholic Church is growing fastest. A long papal visit, including to a conflict zone, drew global attention to the countries visited and to efforts for peace, much as faith leaders in Nigeria did when they signed an interfaith peace accord in August.
Sources
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