Skip to main content

By Djinodji SOLMENGAR Rodrigue

Pope Leo has reaffirmed his stance against war after criticism from U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he ‘doesn’t like‘ the pontiff over his views on global security.

Speaking aboard a flight to Algiers at the start of a 10-day tour across four African countries, the pope said he would keep advocating for peace and dialogue.

I will continue to speak out loudly against war and promote dialogue among nations to find just solutions, he said.

He also pointed to the human cost of conflict. ‘Too many people are suffering. Too many innocent lives are being lost,’ he added.

His remarks come amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran, following his recent call for peace that drew criticism from Trump.

Djinodji Solmengar

Djinodji Solmengar Rodrigue is a journalist with MRTV English, Chad’s first English-language media outlet, where he led English-language news coverage at its launch. Based in N’Djamena, his reporting explores political, economic, and social developments, with particular attention to everyday realities, informal sectors, and cultural life. His work also extends to football and broader societal issues, approached through field reporting and in-depth storytelling. Beyond reporting, Djinodji regularly conducts interviews focused on education, including the teaching of English in Chad, as well as conversations (with AFROTRONIX, to name a few) on culture and music. He is also active as an English–French interpreter, working alongside international media professionals. In this capacity, he recently supported and interpreted for a delegation of foreign journalists, including BBC representatives, during the PND Chad Connexion 2030 mission. Alongside his professional practice, Djinodji is pursuing a PhD, with research centered on the presence of China and Russia in Africa as portrayed in selected Commonwealth online media. His academic interests lie at the intersection of media, geopolitics, and discourse analysis. Earlier in his career, he taught English and authored a Master’s thesis examining the contextualization of English language teaching in Chad, reflecting a sustained engagement with educational challenges and policy.