Pope Leo highlights the grave humanitarian crisis in eastern DR Congo, where violence has forced many to flee, and expresses solidarity with those affected by extreme weather in southern Africa.
By Edoardo Giribaldi and Francesca Merlo
Speaking after the recitation of the Angelus prayer on 18 January, Pope Leo turned his thoughts to the suffering of communities in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where, he said, a grave humanitarian crisis continues to unfold. Ongoing violence has left countless families with no choice but to flee their homes.
The Pope described the population as facing “great difficulties”, noting that many have been forced to seek refuge beyond the country’s borders, particularly in neighbouring Burundi, as insecurity and armed conflict persist in the region.
“Let us pray,” the Pope said, “that dialogue may always prevail between the parties to the conflict, opening paths to reconciliation and peace.”
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, suffering is compounded not only by violence but also by the growing impact of extreme weather. On Monday night, at least 18 people lost their lives when heavy rains triggered a landslide in a city in the eastern part of the country, further deepening an already fragile humanitarian situation.
Those fleeing the conflict are now living in conditions of extreme precarity. In several refugee camps, access to food, clean water, and medical care remains severely limited, while the risk of disease continues to rise. Outbreaks of illnesses such as cholera are beginning to spread among populations already weakened by hunger, exhaustion, and displacement.
Closeness to the victims of extreme weather in southern Africa
Pope Leo then turnes his thoughts to southern Africa, where torrential rains and widespread flooding have claimed more than one hundred lives in recent days. Entire communities have been submerged, homes destroyed, and essential infrastructure severely damaged. South Africa, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe are among the countries most heavily affected.
To the people of these regions, the Holy Father expressed his closeness and assured them of the solidarity of the Church, and prayed for all those affected – the dead, the displaced, and those working in rescue efforts.
Floodwaters in Maputo, Mozambique (ANSA)
