Pope Leo criticizes ‘colonization’ of African resources

The proliferation of armed conflicts is often driven by the exploitation of oil and mineral deposits, the pontiff has said

Pope Leo XIV has criticized the “colonization” of Africa’s mineral resources in a speech in Equatorial Guinea, one of the continent’s top oil producers, where nearly half of the population still lives in poverty.

The pontiff arrived in the central African nation on Tuesday for the final leg of his 11-day tour of the continent, having previously visited Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola. He was warmly welcomed by flag-waving and cheering crowds in the administrative capital, Malabo.

In his address to Equatorial Guinean President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and other officials, Pope Leo echoed the words of Pope Francis, who passed away one year ago, stating, “We must also say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills.”

“It is clear today that the proliferation of armed conflicts is often driven by the exploitation of oil and mineral deposits, with no regard for international law or the self-determination of peoples,” he said.

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Leo’s visit is the first papal trip to the country since Pope John Paul II visited in 1982. His remarks come at a time when the administration of US President Donald Trump has announced plans to create a minerals trading bloc with its allies. Washington has intensified efforts to secure deals in critical minerals with several African nations, aiming to challenge China’s dominance in the sector and the broader region.

A peace agreement between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo to end decades of violence in eastern Congo, mediated by Trump, also includes plans to establish a regional economic framework tied to US investment in the country’s cobalt, coltan, and other critical minerals sectors.

Equatorial Guinea possesses significant oil wealth and is one of the richest economies in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, this wealth has not translated into broad prosperity, with poverty remaining widespread in the former Spanish colony, according to a World Bank report published last November.

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President Obiang Nguema, in power since 1979, has faced long-standing accusations of corruption, mismanagement, and human rights abuses, including from the US and France. The African nation’s authorities have repeatedly dismissed these claims, calling them politically motivated and accusing foreign powers of attempting to interfere in the country’s internal affairs.