Malabo, April 21, 2026 (Lusa) – Pope Leo XIV denounced on Tuesday the "colonisation" of African minerals and the "lust for power" during a visit to Equatorial Guinea, a country led by the same ruler since 1979.
The former Spanish colony on Africa's west coast is governed by Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the continent's longest-serving president, who faces frequent accusations of widespread corruption and authoritarianism.
Deep-water oil discoveries in the mid-1990s transformed Equatorial Guinea's economy. Oil now represents nearly half of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and more than 90% of exports, according to the African Development Bank.
However, more than half of the nearly two million inhabitants live in poverty.
The Pope, arriving from Angola, met with Obiang at the presidential palace before addressing government officials, diplomats, and civil service representatives. Noting that the meeting took place on the first anniversary of Pope Francis's death, Leo XIV quoted the late Pontiff while denouncing economic inequality. He said that a global economy focused on profit at any cost has exacerbated these disparities.
"Such an economy kills," said the head of the Roman Catholic Church. "Indeed, it is even more evident today than in past years that the proliferation of armed conflicts is often driven by the colonisation of oil and mineral deposits, occurring without any respect for international law or the self-determination of peoples," he said.
Public authorities must "dismantle the obstacles" to sustainable and human development, the Pope said. The meetings took place in the old presidential palace, as the government has yet to complete the transfer of buildings to the new mainland capital, Ciudad de la Paz (City of Peace).
The Pope referred to the new capital by citing Saint Augustine's famous work, The City of God. In this 5th-century text, the philosopher interpreted humanity through two models: the "earthly city," where people live temporarily, and the eternal "City of God," characterised by unconditional love for God and one another, especially the poor.
Leo XIV did not directly mention the corruption associated with the Obiang family or criticisms of the new capital. However, he suggested that Equatorial Guinea should look to the "City of God" as a model for its new seat of power.
"The earthly city is centred on the proud love of self, the lust for power, and the worldly glory that leads to destruction," he said. "It is essential to discern the difference between that which lasts and that which passes, remaining free from the pursuit of unjust wealth and the illusion of dominance."
Equatorial Guinea is officially a secular state, but the Roman Catholic Church remains at the heart of the political and social systems of a nation where at least 80% of the population is Roman Catholic. The country was among those that received millions of dollars in controversial deals with the Trump administration to accept migrants deported from the United States to countries other than their own. The Pope, the first American in history, has previously criticised this deportation policy.
Leo XIV is the second Pope to visit Equatorial Guinea. John Paul II was the first, 44 years ago, on a trip remembered for its message of peace and reconciliation. The country, a member of the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP), consistently ranks among the bottom 10 in Transparency International's annual Corruption Perceptions Index.
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