Pope Leo XIV last Friday urged young Africans to work to improve their own countries instead of migrating elsewhere in search of better opportunities.
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church directed his remarks to university students at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, during an 11-day apostolic visit to Africa.
“Faced with an understandable tendency to migrate – which may lead one to believe that a better future can be found more easily elsewhere – I invite you, first of all, to respond with a fervent desire to serve your country and to apply the knowledge you have acquired here to the benefit of your fellow citizens,” Leo said.
As displacement has steadily increased in recent years amid economic and political challenges in Africa, Leo said each country’s rising generations must be “committed to society”, reflecting the needs of their nation and tackling systemic issues at home.
Bishop Robert Barron: What the choice of Leo’s name tells us about the new pope
Pope Leo XIV speaking during a meeting with the Bamenda community at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda on the fourth day of his 11-day apostolic visit to Africa on April 16, 2026.
(Getty Images)
“Africa must, indeed, be rid of the scourge of corruption. For the youth, this awareness must be rooted from their formative years,” he said.
Read on the Fox News app
“These are witnesses of wisdom and justice, which the African continent needs.”
He added that through education and spiritual formation, “you learn to be the builder of your respective country and the future of a more just and humane world.”
Pope Leo says he’s not afraid of the Trump administration after the president called him ‘terrible’ on foreign policy
Pope Leo XIV gives a speech during his visit to the Central African Catholic University in Yaoundé, Cameroon, April 17, 2026.
According to the World Migration Report, the majority of displacement in Africa occurs internally within the continent, with 21 million Africans recorded as having settled in another African country in 2020.
This number doubled between 1990 and 2020, and African migration abroad has also continued to increase.
In 2020, approximately 11 million Africans have migrated to Europe, 5 million to Asia and 3 million to North America.
Morning Glory: Projection of Leo
Pope Leo XIV begins his visit to Africa April 17, 2026, visiting the Central African Catholic University in Yaounde, Cameroon.
The causes of displacement are largely political conflict, corruption, violence and economic hardship, including widespread poverty.
These factors are particularly pronounced in countries such as Somalia, one of Africa’s largest sources of refugees; A Nigeria plagued by natural disasters and economic pressures; and the surrounding areas of Sudan, where civil war, political instability and food insecurity have caused large-scale displacement.
The pope’s comments came days after President Donald Trump criticized Leo on Truth Social, calling him “weak on crime and terrible for foreign policy.”
The response followed the pontiff’s criticism of the US-Israeli war in Iran and his appeal for a return to peace.
Click here to download the Fox News app
Tensions between the two escalated several days ago when the pope said last Saturday that it was “not in my interest” to debate the president.
Leo has stressed that his position is focused on bridging the divide between nations and promoting peace and reconciliation.
Original article source: Pope Leo urges Africans to stay and ‘serve their country’ instead of migrating as displacement climbs
