Pope Urges Accountability Amid Conflicts
Pope Leo XIV warned that the future of humanity is under threat from ongoing conflicts and the erosion of international law. He made the remarks during a visit to Equatorial Guinea, the final stop on his African tour.
Speaking alongside President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and other leaders, he stressed the need for greater political accountability. “The fate of humanity risks being tragically compromised without a change of direction and without respect for institutions and international agreements”, he said.
The Pope also condemned the use of religion to justify violence. “God does not want this”, he said, adding that his name must not be used to justify acts that lead to death.
He further criticized the “colonization” of natural resources, which he said fuels bloody conflicts. Throughout his African tour, he has repeatedly highlighted wars, inequality and failures in global leadership.
The Pope, who previously served as a missionary in Peru, also plans to meet prisoners and pray at the site of the 2021 explosion at a military barracks that killed more than 100 people.