Pope Condemns "Resource Colonisation" Fueling Global Conflict in Africa

Speaking from the presidential palace in Malabo, the American-born pontiff delivered a message that resonated far beyond the borders of Equatorial Guinea, targeting the "extractive logic" that he claims treats human life as a mere commodity.

Addressing civil authorities and diplomats, Pope Leo XIV noted the tragic irony of nations rich in natural resources remaining trapped in cycles of poverty and violence.

He warned that the rapid evolution of technology has accelerated speculation on raw materials, often at the expense of local communities and public health.

Echoing his remarks from earlier in the week in Cameroon, the Pope observed that those who "rob the land of its resources" often reinvest their profits into weaponry, perpetuating "an endless cycle of destabilisation and death."

"Armed conflicts are increasingly tied to the exploitation of oil and mineral reserves... occurring with no regard for international law or the self-determination of peoples," said Pope Leo XIV.

The Pope's visit comes amid intensifying geopolitical competition between the United States and China for Africa's critical minerals. Without naming specific nations, Leo XIV called for a "decisive change of course," urging political leaders to prioritise the common good over corporate objectives.

His address also paid homage to his predecessor, Pope Francis, on the first anniversary of his death. Leo repeated Francis's famous warning, "Today we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills."

Throughout his African tour, which included stops in Algeria, Cameroon, and Angola, Pope Leo XIV has consistently preached a message of "unarmed and disarming peace."

Even while meeting with long-serving leaders like Equatorial Guinea's Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the Pope called for governance that acts as a "bridge" rather than a source of division, and warned that corruption "disfigures authority."

As the Pope prepares to return to the Vatican, his remarks have underscored a growing friction between the Holy See and global powers over the ethics of modern warfare and the environmental cost of the global energy transition.

In recent months, several geopolitical developments have taken place where mineral wealth was at the heart of the contestations.

In January, shortly after the ouster of former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, President Trump announced that the United States would develop the Venezuelan oil industry.

Later in February, when the conflict broke out in West Asia and the Gulf region, the biggest ripple effect was seen on global energy supplies as the Strait of Hormuz emerged as the inflexion point.

The global energy artery through which nearly a fifth of the world's demand passes was abruptly put on hold, and as the two-week ceasefire window ticks closer to the end, the fate of the global security situation will be.

In other areas where conflict continues to simmer, the United States announced a mineral deal for Ukraine last year. This would involve natural resource projects covering minerals, hydrocarbons, and related infrastructure development.

In his speech, Pope Leo XIV further decried how, despite the utilisation of technology, opportunities fail to seep through and that humanity risks tragedy if political responsibility does not respect international institutions and agreements.

"These same technologies often appear to be conceived and utilised primarily for warlike purposes, within contexts that fail to expand opportunities for all. On the contrary, the destiny of humanity risks being tragically compromised without a change of direction in the assumption of political responsibility and without respect for institutions and international agreements."

Emphasising the ethical dimension, the Pontiff said religion must never be invoked to justify violence. "God's name must not be profaned... above all, it must never be invoked to justify choices and actions of death," he added.

He concluded his Malabo address by urging an "educational pact" to provide Africa's youth with "new visions" and the moral courage to engage in "counter-current" politics that favour justice over dominion.

- ANI