Cameroon: Cameroon's President Biya Returns Home After Months-Long Absence

What the report says

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya has returned to Yaoundé after spending about two months in Switzerland, according to Premium Times, which said the trip was his longest recorded stay outside the country since he came to power four decades ago. The article said he arrived at the capital’s international airport on Thursday on a flight from Geneva, after leaving Cameroon on 7 June for what his office had called a brief private stay in Europe.

The report said the extended absence fueled public concern about the 93-year-old leader’s health and raised questions about governance in the Central African country. Opposition figures have argued that the state effectively runs without him during long stays in Europe, while supporters and officials gathered at the airport when his return became known. The article also said he was seen acknowledging supporters from his car.

Premium Times noted that Biya, the world’s oldest sitting president, is now serving another term after a disputed election last year. It said the vote sparked protests and accusations from the main opposition candidate, with casualties reported during the unrest. For context, Cameroon has no presidential term limits, following a 2008 constitutional change that removed the earlier cap, allowing Biya to continue seeking re-election.