Pope Leo XIV arrived in Algeria on Monday to begin an 11-day tour of Africa – the longest trip so far of his papacy – which began less than a year ago.

The head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics is due to visit Cameroon, Angola, and Equatorial Guinea after his stop in Algeria.

In a meeting with Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, both sides underscored their willingness to strengthen cooperation between Algeria and the Vatican.

Tebboune described the papal visit as “historic,” according to reports from the state news agency.

The president highlighted dialogue, peace, and tolerance as shared values and pointed to Algeria’s commitment to social justice.

Referring to international conflicts, particularly in the region, he called for an end to violence, greater humanitarian support for civilians, and recognition of a Palestinian state, stressing the importance of peace and cooperation in addressing global crises.

Leo was also scheduled to visit the Great Mosque in the capital, Algiers.

No pope has previously visited Algeria, a predominantly Muslim country of nearly 47 million people, of whom only about 9,000 are Catholic.

But the country holds special significance for Leo, as St Augustine of Hippo was born there in the 4th century.

The pope has been a member of the Augustinian order for almost 50 years and previously served as its global head.

On Tuesday, Leo is due to travel to Annaba, formerly known as Hippo, where Augustine served as bishop.

From Algeria, the pope will continue to Cameroon from Wednesday to Saturday, followed by Angola until April 21 and Equatorial Guinea until April 23.

Africa has been a frequent destination for recent popes. John Paul II visited the continent 15 times, while Francis made five trips.

The continent is home to around 290 million Catholics – more than in Europe – and accounts for about 20.3 per cent of the global Catholic population, making it one of the fastest-growing regions for the Church. (dpa/NAN)