world 13 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Pope Leo Condemns Neocolonial Conflicts in Algeria Amid Trump Backlash
Pope Leo XIV criticized 'neocolonial' powers for breaching international law during his first stop in Algeria on a demanding four-nation African tour, shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump labeled him 'terrible.' The 70-year-old pontiff plans to address war, resource exploitation, and interfaith dialogue across 11 cities in Algeria, Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/pope-leo-in-algeria-blasts-neocolonial-conflicts-after-trump-criticism-5422312
Pope Leo XIV, the 70-year-old Chicago-born leader of the Catholic Church, kicked off his ambitious Africa tour in Algeria with a strong denunciation of ‘neocolonial’ influences violating international law. Speaking to political leaders at the Great Mosque’s cultural center in Algiers, he stressed the need for justice and solidarity amid global power imbalances.
The pontiff’s remarks came hours after U.S. President Donald Trump called him ‘terrible’ in response to Leo’s recent criticisms of the Iran war and U.S. immigration policies. Aboard the flight from Rome, Leo dismissed the need for debate, vowing to keep advocating for peace and dialogue.
This marks the first papal visit to predominantly Muslim Algeria, home to fewer than 10,000 Catholics among 48 million people. Leo’s 10-day itinerary spans nearly 18,000 km across 11 locations in four nations, featuring 25 speeches on topics like resource exploitation, Catholic-Muslim relations, and corruption.
Over 20% of the world’s Catholics reside in Africa, with high concentrations in the sub-Saharan stops. Highlights include a massive Mass in Cameroon’s Douala expected to draw 600,000 and a visit to St. Augustine’s ruins in Annaba, Algeria, tied to Leo’s Augustinian roots.
The tour, the 24th papal journey to Africa since the late 1960s, aims to spotlight the continent’s challenges and hopes.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)