Pope Leo has launched a scathing attack on global leaders, accusing them of squandering vast sums on military conflicts, while neglecting essential services such as healthcare and education.
Speaking in Cameroon, the first American Pontiff delivered a blunt condemnation, declaring that the planet was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants."
The Pope also took aim at those who invoke faith to legitimise armed conflict, demanding what he described as a "decisive change of course."
His pointed remarks came in the wake of a public dispute with Donald Trump on social media, though Leo refrained from identifying any individual leader by name.
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The exchange between the Pontiff and the US President began after Mr Trump criticised the Pope on social media, telling him he "should get his act together", describing him as "very weak."
In his address today, the Pope spoke powerfully about the destruction wrought by conflict.
"The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild," he said.
"They turn a blind eye to the fact that billions of dollars are spent on killing and devastation, yet the resources needed for healing, education and restoration are nowhere to be found."
Pope Leo met with the community of Bamenda at Saint Joseph's Cathedral in Bamenda
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Pope Leo also delivered a blunt call for Cameroon's leadership to eliminate corruption during a speech at the presidential palace in Yaoundé, the second stop on his tour of Africa.
Speaking before an audience that included President Paul Biya, the 70-year-old declared: "In order for peace and justice to prevail, the chains of corruption - which disfigure authority and strip it of its credibility - must be broken."
The remarks come as Biya's government faces mounting criticism regarding alleged graft and poor governance.
The 93-year-old leader secured an eighth presidential term in a contested election last year.
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The Pope has now travelled to Cameroon's Anglophone regions, where armed separatists have waged an insurgency for close to a decade.
He is due to lead prayers for peace at a Mass in Bamenda, the epicentre of a conflict that has claimed no fewer than 6,000 lives since 2017, and displaced countless others from their homes.
Despite the ongoing violence, enthusiastic crowds gathered along roadsides to greet the pontiff.
Ahead of his arrival, Anglophone separatist groups declared a temporary ceasefire, announcing a window of "safe travel passage" to allow the papal visit to proceed without incident.
Donald Trump earlier criticised Pope Leo on social media, telling him he 'should get his act together'
|GETTY
The conflict erupted in 2017 when fighters seeking to establish an independent state in Cameroon's two English-speaking regions took up arms against government troops.
At the heart of the dispute lies a sense among the minority Anglophone population that they have been systematically sidelined by the Francophone-dominated administration.
Addressing the security situation on Wednesday, Pope Leo stressed that while maintaining order remained essential, authorities must never compromise on fundamental freedoms.
"Security is a priority, but it must always be exercised with respect for human rights," he stated, a pointed reference to the brutal nature of the nearly decade-long conflict.