Pope Leo has criticized the exploitation of Africa’s natural resources, accusing “despots and tyrants” of making false promises of wealth while leaving people in suffering.
Speaking in oil-rich Angola, the third stop on his four-country Africa tour, he said people should not be trapped by systems that benefit a wealthy elite while others endure hardship, as seen on Reuters.
“All too often people have looked, and continue to look, to your lands … in order to take,” he said in Luanda, addressing President João Lourenço and other political leaders.
He also warned against what he described as unfair control over national wealth, including oil, diamonds, and emerging critical minerals.
“How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters are brought about by this logic of extractivism!” he said.
He further called for change in how resources are managed, urging people to resist systems that reduce life to material gain. Leo said, “to break this cycle of interests, which reduces reality, and even life itself, to mere commodities.”
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The pope also encouraged leaders to prioritise citizens over business interests, saying, “History will then vindicate you, even if in the near term some may oppose you.”
His remarks came during a 10-day Africa tour covering 11 cities and towns across four countries, travelling nearly 18,000 km over 18 flights. Leo, originally from Chicago, has recently taken a more outspoken tone on issues including war, inequality, and global power relations.
Earlier in Cameroon, he led a farewell Mass in Yaounde attended by an estimated 200,000 people, according to the Vatican. He urged worshippers not to lose hope despite ongoing challenges in the country, including conflict.
“In moments when we seem to be sinking, overcome by adverse forces, when everything appears bleak … Jesus is with us always, stronger than any power of evil,” he told the crowd.
“In every storm, he comes to us and repeats: ‘I am here with you: do not be afraid’,” he added.
The Mass in Cameroon followed another large gathering in Douala, where an estimated 120,000 people attended a service on Friday, lining streets and wearing colourful fabrics featuring his image.
What this means for Africa
This visit highlights ongoing concerns about how Africa’s natural resources are managed and who benefits from them. It reflects a wider debate across the continent about fairness, wealth distribution, and the impact of foreign and local interests in key industries like oil and minerals.
It also shows how leaders and global figures are drawing attention to poverty and inequality in resource-rich African countries. For many African nations, the challenge remains how to turn natural wealth into real improvements in people’s daily lives.
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Image Credit: France 24
