Cameroonian journalist Jean-Claude Mbede published an op-ed on February 25, 2026, commenting on Pope Leo XIV's upcoming visit to Cameroon in April 2026. Mbede refutes criticisms that this visit will entail enormous financial expenditures for the country.
Mbede insists that the Pope's visit is not motivated by economic interests, but rather by a desire to support a Cameroon that he describes as being in spiritual, ethical, and societal difficulty. He emphasizes that the Vatican is not a state in financial crisis seeking to enrich itself in Cameroon. According to Mbede, Pope Leo XIV, known for his courage and faith, is coming to the aid of a country in distress. He recalls that, when he was a bishop, Leo XIV fought against Donald Trump's immigration policies.
Mbede highlights the crucial role of the Church in finding solutions to Cameroon's problems, where the political opposition has failed. He asserts that the Pope's visit is a testament to the Church's hard work and that attacking this visit is a mistake. For Mbede, the Vatican is an essential ally in a country struggling with internal divisions and power struggles.
He highlights the divisions within the Cameroonian clergy, between a "Church of privileges" and a "Church of the catacombs" close to the people. He believes that the Pope is coming to comfort the latter and that the Vatican favors bishops from conflict-affected areas.
Mbede believes that only Washington, Paris, and the Vatican can encourage the Yaoundé regime to change. He calls on civil society and the opposition to seize the opportunity of this visit to put pressure on the regime, while avoiding attacking the Pope. He encourages them to transform this visit into a plea for the release of prisoners and an end to violence.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Leo XIV will make his first pastoral visit to Africa from April 13-23, 2026, visiting Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. In Cameroon, he is scheduled to visit Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Douala. This visit comes amid persistent logistical and security challenges in Cameroon.
