Yaound©: Pope Leo XIV arrives in Cameroon on Wednesday, where he will meet President Paul Biya in Yaound© on the second leg of his African trip. Biya, 93, has been president of the West African country since 1982 and was prime minister before that.
According to Ghana News Agency, more than half of Cameroon's 30 million population are Christian, with a quarter being Catholics. The religious landscape is diversifying with the growth of independent churches, and around 20% of the population are Muslim. Historically, Cameroon was once a German colony and was partitioned between France and the United Kingdom after World War I. The nation is currently enduring a civil war that has persisted since 2017, involving a Francophone-led government and Anglophone separatists. Additionally, Islamist terrorist groups remain active in northern regions.
Cameroon is facing significant economic challenges, with heavy indebtedness and pervasive corruption. The nation struggles with deteriorating infrastructure and high youth unemployment. Approximately 40% of the population is estimated to live in poverty, and there are significant restrictions on political opposition and press freedom.
Pope Leo XIV began his African journey in Algeria and plans to continue his visit to Angola and Equatorial Africa after departing Cameroon.