Pope Leo on Saturday denounced leaders who exploit Africa’s natural wealth while failing their people, warning that such practices fuel suffering and inequality.
Speaking in oil-rich Angola, the third stop of his four-nation Africa tour, Leo criticised “despots and tyrants” who promise prosperity but deliver little, leaving populations trapped in hardship.
He urged Angolans to build a society free from what he described as a form of “slavery imposed by elites” who possess vast wealth but offer “false joys.”
Addressing political leaders in the capital Luanda, including President João Lourenço, Leo warned against the continued extraction of Africa’s resources by powerful interests.
“All too often people have looked to your lands in order to take,” he said, pointing to the human and environmental toll of what he called a “logic of extractivism.”
“How much suffering, how many deaths, how many social and environmental disasters” result from such exploitation, he added.
The pope has adopted a more forceful tone in recent weeks, particularly during his 10-day Africa tour, where he has repeatedly criticised war, inequality and economic injustice.
On a flight from Cameroon earlier in the day, Leo sought to downplay tensions with Donald Trump, saying his earlier remarks about “tyrants” were not directed at the U.S. leader and that he had no interest in engaging in a public dispute.
Despite being one of sub-Saharan Africa’s leading oil producers, Angola continues to face deep poverty, with more than 30% of its population living on less than $2.15 per day, according to World Bank data.
Leo called on the country’s leadership to prioritise the well-being of all citizens rather than corporate or elite interests, urging them to “break this cycle” that reduces life to commodities.
“History will vindicate you,” he said, even if such decisions face resistance in the short term.
Earlier, in Yaoundé, Leo led a farewell Mass attended by an estimated 200,000 people, encouraging worshippers to remain hopeful despite conflict and hardship.
“In every storm … do not be afraid,” he said, as crowds across Cameroon turned out in large numbers during his visit.