Pope Leo XIV on Friday urged young Africans against migrating to the West.
Speaking to students and faculty at the Catholic University of Central Africa in Yaounde, Cameroon, the pontiff urged younger generations to stay and build their own countries rather than seeking opportunities elsewhere.
“In the face of the understandable tendency to migrate, which may lead one to believe that elsewhere a better future may be more easily found, I invite you to respond with an ardent desire to serve your country and to apply the knowledge you are acquiring here to the benefit of your fellow citizens,” he said.
“The greatness of a nation cannot be measured solely by the abundance of its natural resources, nor even by the material wealth of its institutions,” Leo continued.
“No society, in fact, can flourish unless it is grounded in upright consciences, formed in the truth.”
El Papa León XIV contraprograma el relato migracionista e invita a los jóvenes africanos a que permanezcan en su nación.
«La tendencia migratoria puede llevar a creer que en otros lugares se puede encontrar un futuro mejor. Es mejor que sirvan a su país».pic.twitter.com/jnJGGkvuod— P. Juan Manuel Góngora (@patergongora) April 19, 2026
Around 11 million African migrants live in Europe, many of whom have entered through illegal routes on boats from North Africa.
Meanwhile, the U.S. hosts roughly 2.5 million African-born migrants, with a smaller but rising number entering through the southern border in recent years.
Pope Leo’s remarks came as part of an 11-day visit to Africa, which includes stops in Angola, Algeria, and Equatorial Guinea.
His comments follow recent criticism from President Donald Trump, who accused the pope of being “WEAK on Crime, and terrible for foreign policy.”
Pope Leo XIV BLASTS Trump’s Iran Warning as ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ (VIDEO)
However, Leo has attempted to play down the dispute.
“I will not enter into debate,” he said. “The things that I say are certainly not meant as attacks on anyone.”
“I will not shy away from announcing the message of the Gospel and inviting all people to look for ways of building bridges of peace and reconciliation, and looking for ways to avoid war any time that’s possible.”
🇺🇸🇻🇦 Pope Leo XIV responds to remarks from Donald Trump, saying he has no fear of the US administration and will continue speaking out on the message of the Gospel.
“We are not politicians… we don’t deal with foreign policy the same way,” he said, adding that the Church’s role… pic.twitter.com/JTD2kJHokD
— Europa.com (@europa) April 13, 2026
The post Pope Leo Changes Tack on Immigration — Sends Surprise Message to Africans Looking to Migrate (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.