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3w ago

Paul Biya Returns to Yaounde After 10-Week Absence

His return ends immediate uncertainty, leaving unresolved questions about succession, his health, who runs the government

Cameroonian President Paul Biya listens as Pope Leo XIV (not pictured) delivers a speech, at the Presidential Palace in Yaounde, during his apostolic journey to Cameroon, April 15, 2026. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane/File Photo
Cameroonian security forces faced Islamist militants and separatist fighters in different parts of the country
One of Biya's (C) last official trips was to China in September 2024, though his public appearances had become increasingly rare
Cameronian media had reported that Paul Biya, leader since 1982, had been in the Swiss city with family members and close aides

Overview

  • The president returned on Thursday, Aug. 20, landing at Nsimalen International Airport after roughly 10 weeks in Geneva and traveling to the Etoudi Unity Palace with First Lady Chantal Biya.
  • His prolonged stay abroad had fuelled wide public speculation about his medical condition and capacity to govern despite official denials of serious illness.
  • The vice-presidency, reintroduced by law in April 2026, remains unfilled and the Constitutional Council did not act when opposition figures sought an interim head of state during Biya’s absence.
  • That constitutional gap leaves the Senate president as the default interim authority if Biya becomes unable to serve, a situation that has intensified elite maneuvering and opposition protests.
  • Biya’s long rule since 1982, a contested re-election in October 2025 and repeated long foreign trips have left many Cameroonians worried about governance, security and who will lead the country next.