Pope Leo XIV is traveling to Cameroon on Wednesday as part of a four-nation African tour, arriving in the central African nation amid ongoing separatist violence and political tensions following a disputed presidential election.

The pontiff will meet with President Paul Biya, the 93-year-old leader who has governed Cameroon since 1982 and won an eighth term in October's contested election. Opposition candidate Issa Tchiroma Bakary has disputed the results and called on citizens to reject the official outcome. The Vatican has indicated that fighting corruption and proper use of political authority will be themes of the papal visit.

A significant development preceded the pope's arrival, as English-speaking separatists announced a three-day pause in fighting to ensure safe travel during the visit. The Unity Alliance, representing several separatist groups, said the ceasefire reflects the "profound spiritual importance" of the papal visit and aims to protect civilians, pilgrims and dignitaries.

The separatist conflict began in 2017 when English-speaking groups launched a rebellion seeking independence from Cameroon's French-speaking majority. According to the International Crisis Group, the violence has killed more than 6,000 people and displaced over 600,000 others.

Pope Leo XIV's itinerary includes a "peace meeting" Thursday in Bamenda, a northwestern city affected by separatist violence, and a Mass Friday in Douala where an estimated 600,000 people are expected to attend. Catholics comprise approximately 29% of Cameroon's population.

The pope is traveling to Cameroon from Algeria, the first stop on his African tour. He will continue to Angola on Saturday before concluding the trip in Equatorial Guinea next week.